The quality of the home environments: the predictive power of the presence of a child with special needs in a family

This study aimed to identify key predictors of home environment quality for children aged 0–3 and 3–6 years. Independent variables included maternal socio-economic status, parenting behaviours, and child characteristics; the dependent variable was home environment quality. Data were collected from 329 mothers, including 111 with children with special needs (CWSN) and 218 with typically developing (TD) children. Findings revealed a significant disadvantage in home environments for CWSN compared to TD children. Across both age groups, having a CWSN was the strongest predictor of lower home environment quality. For the 0–3 age group, maternal education, family income, parental involvement, and positive behaviour management also played significant roles. In the 3–6 age group, maternal education, behaviour management, parental expectations, and children's social behaviours were key predictors. Overall, maternal developmental care significantly influenced home environment quality in both age groups, with the presence of a CWSN being a critical factor.