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Recent meta-analyses have demonstrated a significant association between children’s early math achievement and their experiences with math at home, including their caregivers’ talk about math. However, few studies have investigated the relations between caregiver math talk and children’s learning with experimental designs. Eighty-six children (M = 5.0 years) and their caregivers were randomly assigned to play either a numeracy or a shape card game at home for six weeks. Data were collected on children’s number and shape knowledge and families’ math talk during gameplay. There was substantial participant attrition (42% did not return completed materials), however, both an intent-to-treat analysis of the sample that received study materials and a subgroup analysis of study completers showed that children who played the shape game significantly improved their shape naming and matching skills relative to children who played the number game. Children who played the number game did not significantly improve their numerical skills relative to children who played the shape game. Mathematical talk during gameplay varied between families but was correlated over time within families. Caregivers’ and children’s talk about matching cards by shape or color predicted children’s learning from the shape game. The results suggest that despite receiving uniform instructions and materials, there was significant variability in children’s home math experiences that predicted their learning from the card game.

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For many sexual minority (SM) individuals, the intersection of religion and sexual identity is multifaceted and nuanced. Some SM people openly reject religion while others maintain a positive and fulfilling religious identity. The present study uses national-level data (Baylor Religion Survey, The Baylor religion survey, 2014) to investigate the role of one's image of God and belief in punitive theological constructs in predicting the levels of religious endorsement of SM respondents. The analyses investigate three research questions: (a) Do respondents who identify as SM individuals (i.e., gay, lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, or don't know) differ from heterosexual respondents on their levels of religious endorsement? (b) Does the nature of one's image of God from less to more judgmental mediate the relationship between sexual orientation and levels of religious endorsement?, and (c) Do higher levels of belief in punitive religious constructs mediate the relationship between sexual orientation of religious endorsement? The findings show that individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, homosexual, or bisexual have significantly lower religious endorsement than their heterosexual/straight peers and this relationship is mediated by one's level of belief in punitive religious constructs. Image of God is not a mediator variable, but independently predict levels of religious endorsement, even when controlling for sexual identity. Limitations and future directions are discussed.