Home math environment as a mediator of socioeconomic differences in early math skills: A study of Chinese families from disparate backgrounds.

Children exhibit substantial variation in their early math skills, with pronounced achievement gaps by socioeconomic status (SES) observable even before formal schooling. These SES-related differences in math skills are long-standing and globally observed, prompting investigations into how SES variations in home math environment contribute to early math development. The present study employed a mixed-methods design to examine the relations among SES, key aspects of home math environment, and early math skills in a non-Western context. The sample comprised 122 Chinese parents and their preschool children ( = 5.25 years, 52% female) from diverse SES backgrounds. Quantitative analyses indicated that low-SES parents experienced higher math anxiety (large effect) but also placed greater value on math (small effect). Although the frequency of formal math activities did not differ by SES, high-SES parents engaged more in informal math activities and provided math talk with higher quantity and diversity (small effects). Crucially, the study identified parents' math anxiety and the frequency of informal activities as mediators of SES-related differences in early math skills. Qualitative analyses further revealed that low-SES parents viewed math as essential for future success but defined it more narrowly, focusing mainly on formal practices of concrete skills. The implications for future research and practice are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).