Master's Theses

Department

Psychology

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

One line or research in bilingualism has produced results suggesting that the learning and use or two languages, per se, has a detrimental effect on the verbal intelligence test performance of bilingual children. The present study was designed to evaluate that possibility, while at the same time controlling for the independent effect of level of English language skill. Mexican-American children in the Goodland and Garden City, Kansas school systems were administered an Oral Language Dominance Measure to determine four groups of subjects. One group was high in both English and Spanish language facility, another had low facility in both languages, while the remaining two groups were each high in one and low in the other language. All subjects were administered a short form or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, providing verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQ scores as dependent variables. Lowered Verbal IQ scores were attributed to the bilinguals' poor English skills; the prediction that balanced knowledge of two languages is itself detrimental was not supported.

Keywords

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Ronald G. Smith

Date of Award

Fall 1975

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

Comments

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