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Psychomotor Development, Environmental Stimulation, and Socioeconomic Level of Preschoolers in Temuco, Chile

2006; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 18; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/01.pep.0000223103.69720.33

1538-005X

Arlette Doussoulin,

Early Childhood Education and Development

In Brief Purpose: This research was designed to describe the psychomotor development, environmental stimulation, and the socioeconomic condition of preschool children attending three educational institutions in the city of Temuco, Chile. Method: The sample included 81 boys and girls whose age ranged from three to four years. The Test de Desarrollo Psicomotor (The Psychomotor Development Test), or TEPSI, was used to assess psychomotor development; the Home Observation Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Scale was used to evaluate environmental stimulation; and the Socioeconomic Standardization Model was used to categorize children’s socioeconomic status. Results: The highest statistical correlation was observed between psychomotor development and environmental stimulation when comparing all three parameters across the sample. Conclusions: Environmental stimulation may be the most relevant parameter in the study of psychomotor development of children. Socioeconomic status alone does not seem to be strongly related to children’s psychomotor development in the Temuco region of Chile. The author examined motor development, environmental stimulation and socioeconomic conditions of children of preschool age. She concludes that environmental stimulation may be the most relevant parameter in psychomotor development as socioeconomic status was not strongly related to children’s psychomotor development in the Temuco region of Chile.