Factoren uit de thuisomgeving als voorspellers van de leeftijd waarop motorische mijlpalen worden bereikt

Abstract

The process of development occurs according to a pattern established by the genetic potential but is also influenced by environmental factors. The environment provides important possibilities for undertaking action (‘affordances’), which are supplied by objects, events or places in the environment. Since young children spend the majority of their time at home, the affordances in the home environment are crucial for their global development. This study focuses on one particular part of development, motor development. Minimal research has been done in examining the relationship between motor development and the affordances in the home environment. The presence of various apparatus at home provides an important possibility for undertaking action. The frequency of stimulation in- and outside of the home environment by parents might also have an important influence in reaching motor milestones. However, literature study showed no consensus about the influence of obstacles and stimulation in the home environment on motor development. Therefore the present study was designed to investigate in which extent the two distinguished affordances ‘psychical environment’ and ‘variety of stimulants’ can be seen as predictors of the age of achieving the motor milestones by children aged from 9 to 20 months. The results from the regression analyses showed that ‘psychical environment’ cannot predict the achievement of the motor milestones ‘sitting’ and ‘standing’. The factor ‘psychical environment’ can be seen as predictor of the age in which the motor milestone ‘self locomotion’ will be reached. ‘Variety of stimulants’ can be seen as precursor of the age in which the motor milestones are reached. Follow-up studies are necessary to further clarify to what extent the factors ‘psychical environment’ and ‘variety of stimulants’ predict the age in which the motor milestones are reached by children.