Association between Parents Role and Speech Ability of Children

Background: Child outcomes, including speech ability, are interconnected within and across diverse domains of development. They result from and are enhanced by early positive and supportive interactions with parents and other caregivers. This study aimed to estimate the association between parents role and speech ability of children. Subjects and Method: Across-sectional study was carried out in Surabaya, East Java. A total of 46 children 1 to 2 years of age and their parents were selected for this study. The dependent variable was speech ability. The independent variable was role of parents. The data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed by Pearson correlation. Results: Sample characteristics were as follows: role of parents is fairly good in 29 (63%) children, speech ability of children aged 1 to 2 years did not fit with their age in 28 (60.9%) children. Speech ability was associated with parents role (r= 0.44; p= 0.002). Conclusion: Parents have an important role in the development of normal speech ability in children. Keywords: parent role, speech ability.