The purpose of this study was to examine whether the relationship between a kindergarten screening battery (KSB) and two criterion variables (academic achievement and educational placement) varied as a function of race. The subjects were 702 elementary school students, approximately 176 per grade, in kindergarten, first, third, and fourth grade. Approximately 45 students per grade were American Indian, with the remainder Caucasian.Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the KSB, race, and its interaction with each criterion variable. The predictor variables were the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R), the Kindergarten Language Screening Test (KLST), the Developmental Visual-Motor Integration Test (VMI), the Draw-A-Child (DAC), race, and the four race x KSB test vectors. Criterion variables were the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) total battery, and educational placement (special education vs. regular education status).The KSB predictor variables were entered into the multiple regression equations as a block. Race was then entered as a coded group vector, followed by the four race x KSB test interaction vectors. The increment in R2 due uniquely to the interaction was nonsignificant (slopes were homogeneous) in all analyses. Both the effects of race and the KSB were significant for all grades with achievement as the criterion (p < .01).Bias in predicting educational placement was tested using all subjects combined. Both the interaction and race effects were nonsignificant. The main effect of the KSB was significant (p < .01). An improvement over chance analysis showed that the KSB increased predictive accuracy of the at-risk determination over chance.The weighted composites which best predicted achievement consisted primarily of the language instrument, the PPVT-R, and race. The two psychomotor tests (the DAC and VMI) contributed useful information at the two earlier grades. The composite which best predicted educational placement was made up primarily of the expressive language measure, the KLST.Results of the study supported continued use of the KSB. However, race should be used as a variable when predicting achievement from the KSB, so as not to overpredict American Indian achievement or underpredict Caucasian achievement. Results also indicated the potential utility of early language enrichment for improving achievement of high risk children. / Department of Educational Psychology

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between rewards, locus of control and ideational fluency. Forty-three preschool children were initially administered the Revised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the Preschool and Primary Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Scale. Based on a median split of the locus of control measure, the children were assigned to either a reward or non-reward condition for the second session. In session two the children were administered two ideational fluency tasks, unusual uses and pattern meanings, under the assigned condition. Four separate 2 (external, internal) x 2 (reward, nonreward) analysis of variance were conducted for four ideational fluency scores (popular, original, total fluency and flexibility scores). No significant effects were found in any of the analyses. However, mean differences suggest that rewards limit ideational fluency while internal locus of-control was related to originality. / Master of Science

Preschool Attainment Record Attainment Quotients and Category scores were compared to determine whether there were significant differences between the way parents and teachers evaluate 5-year-old children. The subjects were 20 Head Start and 20 middle-income children as well as their mothers, fathers, and teachers. A total of 120 Preschool Attainment Record interviews were collected, 40 with teachers and 80 with parents. Attainment Quotients and Category scores were calculated by computer. A repeated measurement design was used to test for significant differences in Attainment Quotient and Intellectual, Social, and Physical Category scores. No significant differences were found for mothers', fathers', and teachers' Attainment Quotients. There was a significant difference between parents' and teachers' ratings for Intellectual and Social Category scores for lower-income boys. Attainment Quotient means were grouped and analyzed for differences in ratings within and between the five preschool centers used in the study. Attainment Quotient means were highest in the two middle-income centers. Attainment Quotient means were also compared for first and later-born children. No significant difference existed between ratings by mothers, fathers, and teachers. / Master of Science

There is evidence that the conceptualization of creativity as a process of original problem-solving is applicable to Indian preschoolers (N=66, mean age 54.8). The cross-cultural validity of the measuring instruments has been demonstrated. The lack of age and sex differences was consistent with results found in the U.S. (Moran, Milgram, Sawyers, & Fu, 1983) and in Israel (Milgram, Moran, Sawyers, & Fu, 1987). Quantity and quality of ideational fluency responses were found to be strongly related; a marked order effect with popular responses occurring earlier and original responses later in the response sequence was found to exist more in high original subjects than in low. These findings duplicate those found with preschool children in the United States and in Israel. The relationships between the variables proved to be more complex than hypothesized. In the present study with Indian preschoolers, fantasy did not act as a bridge between convergent and divergent thinking as hypothesized on the basis of results obtained in the U.S. The multidimensional model with ideational fluency, fantasy, metaphoric comprehension, intelligence and the home as predictors accounted for 48.9% of the variance in problem-solving. The home environment was found to be a crucial factor in the prediction of original thinking and its role in conjunction with the cognitive variables needs further examination. Considering this, it is recommended that a measure of the home environment and its profound influence on the divergent and convergent thinking of the preschool child be studied. The investigations have also revealed that the measures for stringent problem-solving are not completely satisfactory and a more appropriate criterion measure of creativity needs to be established. / Ph. D.