Learning and Individual Differences
Volume 35, 2014, Pages 34-40

Dynamic testing with native and migrant preschool children in Germany and Spain, using the application of cognitive functions scale (Article)

Wiedl K.H. , Mata S.* , Waldorf M. , Calero M.D.
  • a Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Unit, University of Osnabrueck, Germany
  • b Department of Personality, Assessment and Treatment, University of Granada, Spain
  • c Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Unit, University of Osnabrueck, Germany
  • d Department of Personality, Assessment and Treatment, University of Granada, Spain

Abstract

Dynamic Testing has been shown to reduce the risk of biased assessment of children with an immigrant background. In this study, the goal is to show this effect in preschoolers using the Application of Cognitive Functions Scale (ACFS), a dynamic test based on the test-mediation-test format. Subjects were 226 children living in Germany or in Spain, of which n= 119 had a background of migration. The results showed differences between native and migrant children in levels but not in progression of performance, except for auditory memory, thus largely confirming our expectations. Additional analyses of the Spanish subgroups indicate that preschoolers with Latin American background surpass the other migrant children with a non-Spanish-speaking background both in level and progression of performance. Linguistic competence is discussed as a mediating variable. Based on these results, the ACFS is considered a useful test for assessing preschool children with a migratory background. © 2014 Elsevier Inc.

Author Keywords

Preschoolers Migration Learning potential Dynamic testing

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84905502313&doi=10.1016%2fj.lindif.2014.07.003&partnerID=40&md5=6f931fa6cced5539451a829faddf5780
DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2014.07.003
ISSN: 10416080
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English