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Cognitive performance pattern underlying WJ-R test performance of Hispanic children.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Woodcock-Johnson-Revised Cognitive test is biased when used with a Hispanic population of school-age children. Norming data, provided by R. Woodcock, Ph.D., for grades three, five, eight, and eleven were used for the study. Three hypotheses were explored. The first hypothesis called for a comparison by gender. The second hypothesis called for a comparison of non-Hispanics and Hispanics. The third hypothesis called for comparisons between all combinations of grade levels using only the non-Hispanic subgroup. Using the results of confirmatory factor analysis from LISREL VIII (1993), the chi-square difference test, and three goodness-of-fit indexes provided evidence of similarity in factor patterns between target groups. Hypothesis 1 stated that there were no differences between male and female factor patterns. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the acceptance of hypothesis 1. Hypothesis 2 stated that there were no differences between non-Hispanic and Hispanic students. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported a qualified acceptance of hypothesis 2. The relationships between the latent variables are significantly different. Age, therefore, may have been a confounding variable in this study. Hypothesis 3 stated that there were no differences in patterns between grades. Only one of the six grade comparisons, 3-5, found model 1 to be the preferred model. All other comparisons found model 3 to be the preferred model. The residual or error terms were variable in matrix patterns, indicating that a factor other than age may be influencing the relationships. A fourth analysis was utilized and determined model 1 to be the preferred model. The results of the analysis indicate that differential patterns of processing, rather than age, may be the variable influencing the relationship of latent variables.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/187027
Date January 1994
CreatorsHinton, Carla Ellen.
ContributorsMishra, Shitala P., Sabers, Darrell, Bergan, John R.
PublisherThe University of Arizona.
Source SetsUniversity of Arizona
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext, Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic)
RightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

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