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The performance of nine year old Cowichan native Indian children on two tests of cognitive ability

University of British Columbia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of 9 year old Cowichan Native Indian children on two tests of cognitive ability. The tests used were the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC-R) and the Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM). The sample included 21 Cowichan Native Indian children (13 females, 8 males), aged 9-11 years, drawn from the Cowichan Band near Duncan, B.C. The children were assessed using both tests and their scores were analysed using B.C. norms. The Canadian substitution items for the WISC-R were counterbalanced with the American items. 1. Hypothesis one stated that the WISC-R Verbal Scale scores of 9 year old Cowichan Native Indian children would not be significantly different from those of the B.C. norming group. The B.C. norming group was significantly higher at the p < .0001 level of significance. 2. Hypothesis two stated that the WISC-R Performance Scale scores of 9 year old Cowichan Native Indian children would not be significantly different from those of the B.C. norming group. The B.C. norming group was significantly higher at p < .0001 level of significance. 3. Hypothesis three stated that the Standard Progressive Matrices scores of 9 year old Cowichan Native Indian children would not be significantly different from those of the B.C. norming group. The B.C. norming group was significantly higher at the p < .0001 level of significance. The results gave some support to the assumptions made for excluding Native Indian children from the B.C. norming group. Research should be done in order to build a data base which could lead to the need for the development of Native Indian norms for the WISC-R and SPM. The relevant literature was reviewed and areas for future research were delineated. The educational and assessment needs of Native Indian children as perceived by the Native Indians themselves was stressed as an area of prime importance for consideration in this and other such studies.

Text

2010-03-26

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/22754

Educational Psychology

University of British Columbia

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