The Relationship Between the Home Environment and Early Motor Development

The purpose of this paper is to examine the evidence-based research supporting the role of the home environment in relation to infant motor development by reviewing the literature investigating deprivation, parental expectations, and the qualities of the home environment associated with poverty. Methodological issues associated with the misinterpretation of data, the presence of confounding variables, and the use of inadequate measurement tools will be discussed. If aspects of the home environment contributing to infant motor development are clarified, important theoretical, research, and clinical implications arise for physical and occupational therapists working in early intervention programs.