Validation of the family investment model in Norwegian families: A longitudinal investigation of family SES, parent cognitive stimulation, and child outcomes

• The family investment model (FIM) has not been tested within a Nordic welfare state. • Multi-respondent and multi-method Norwegian data at child age 6 months to Grade 1. • Several significant indirect effects in line with the FIM propositions were found. • SES and parental investments affect child development in this socioeconomic context. The family investment model (FIM) is a theoretical framework linking family SES to child developmental outcomes via parental investments such as cognitive stimulation. Although the model has been tested and partially validated in a variety of socio-economic settings, a comprehensive longitudinal validation within a Nordic context characterized by a strong welfare state, a progressive social welfare systems, and relatively low income inequality, is still lacking. We investigated the FIM among Norwegian families using longitudinal, multi-respondent, and multi-method data from child age 6 months to Grade 1 from a large developmental study ( N = 1,159). We examined direct and indirect paths from maternal education, paternal education, and early financial stress on maternal and paternal cognitive stimulation, and subsequent effects on children’s vocabulary skills and self-regulation abilities at 4 years. The model was further extended to include children’s academic competence and social skills in Grade 1. The results indicated several significant indirect effects in line with the propositions of the FIM, at both age 4 and in Grade 1. The findings show that what young children bring with them from home in terms of cognitive and non-cognitive skills is central for their future development and achievements, and also illustrate the importance of family background and parental investments within a Nordic socio-economic context.