What Factors are Associated with Young Children’s Language Learning Environment? A Systematic Review of Language Environment Analysis (LENA) Measures

Abstract

Research Findings: Early language environments play a significant role in supporting a child’s future health and academic success. LENA (Language ENvironment Analysis) software has been widely used to capture young children’s language experiences at home and in early childhood education services. This systematic review is the first to evaluate and synthesize the current evidence of the different factors associated with the LENA measures: adult word count, conversational turns, and child vocalization. Three categories of characteristics–child, caregiver, and contextual characteristics–were identified and summarized in the review of 38 peer-reviewed studies. Our review identified consistency amongst studies on the impacts of variables such as maternal education, maternal mental health concerns, and media exposure on language environments, while studies on child gender, caregiver age, and activity types showed inconsistent results. Variations in sample size, population demographics, and different cultural contexts are likely to be contributing to the heterogeneous findings. Practice or Policy: By synthesizing the current evidence-base, this systematic review can help government and policymakers identify the target populations and provide tailored interventions to improve caregivers’ language interactions with children. Our review highlights the need for future research to include more culturally and linguistically diverse groups, particularly children from non-Western contexts.