Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1973 Changes in Scholastic Achievement and Intelligence of Indian Children Enrolled in a Foster Placement Program Linda Ouida Willson Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Indigenous Studies Commons, Mormon Studies Commons, and the Psychology Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Willson, Linda Ouida, "Changes in Scholastic Achievement and Intelligence of Indian Children Enrolled in a Foster Placement Program" (1973). Theses and Dissertations. 5216. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5216 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. CHANGES IN scholastic achievement AND intelligence OF INDIAN CHILDREN ENROLTENROLLED IN A FOSTER PLACEMENT PROGRAM to A thesis presented to the department of psychology brigham young university in partialpartpertiaI1 fuirfulfillmentillmentwillment of the requirements for the degree master of science by linda ouida willson april 1973 this thesis by linda ouida willsonvilviiWlllsonisonis accepted in its present form by the department of psychology of brigham young university as satisfying the thesis requirement for the degree of master of science e bert P ommitteecommittee chairman LT YJ C f lvijf jaresjamesjamesmlaneamemML harris lviecommittee member 07 beaeed y UAfyvvlzia11411 4 ff ted 1 1 11 wik1 I jfvwcL A date dahrldahrimoM pedersenjillildepartment chairmanll ii acknowledgments I1 wish to express nymy sincere appreciatorappreciaton to dr bert P cundick for his idea for this thesis and for his continued assistance guidance and support throughout the project I1 am also especially grateful to doug gottfredson for his invaluable help with the statistical analysis and to dr james M harris for his suggestions and assistance special thanks go to the LDS social services personnel and particularly to brother glen van wagenen for permission to do the study and assistance with it also I1 vishwish to thank alpine davis granite jordan murray nebo provo salt lake city and tooelethoeleschool districts for allowing me to use their records this thesis could not have become a reality without the patient encouragement and support of my parents friendfriendsfriendlyfriendsysY and roommates I1 am especially grateful for their help and for just putting up with me during the last few weeks of this project iii TABLE OF ONTENTSCONTENTSC page OF LIST labiTABITABLES 0 0 0 a 0 a 0 0 0 0 0 v OF FIGURES 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LIST IGURESF 0 0 0 0 vilvii CHAPTER AND I11 introduction STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 0 0 1 REVIEWREV IEW OF THE 2 lew literature 9 0 0 4 intelligence tests achievement tests history of indian education ioslosIDSLDS placement program purposes of this study 3 METHOD a 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 6.6 0 a 0 0 0 0 21 subjects measures procedures data treatment design 4 RESULTS 0 0 0 0 a 0 10 0 0 0 6 a 4 6 0 28 mathematical achievement reading achievement language achievement verbal intelligence total intelligence covariates and other factors 5 discussion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 q&qa 0 9 0 0 0 0 49 scholastic achievement intelligence limitations of this study suggestions for further research 6 SUMMARY AND conclusions 0 56 references 0 0 0 59 iv LIST OF TABLESTAB table page I11 math achievement mean deviation scores as a function of sex and year in program 29 2 effects of sex and years in program on math achievement 4 0 0 a a 0 4 0 29 3 test on math achievement mean scores for nevmannewman years in program nevmannewman keuls 0 0 0 a 30 4 reading achievement mean deviation scores as a function of sex and year in program 31 5 effects of sex and years in program on readingbeading achievement 32 6 language achievement mean deviation scores as a function of sex and year in program 32 7 effects of sex and years in program on language achievement 0 0 0 0 0 33 8 verbal IQ mean scores as a function of sex and year in program 0 343 9 effects of sex and years in program on verbal IQ 34 10 test on verbal intelligence mean scores for years in program newman keuls 0 a 36 11 nonverbal IQ mean scores as a function of sex and year in program 16 0 0 0 & 0 0 6 0 0 0 37 12 effects of sex and years in program on nonverbal IQ 10 a G 9 & 0 0 16 0 & 0 37 13 test on nonverbal intelligence mean scores for years in program newman keuls 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 39 14 total IQ mean scores as a function of sex and year in program 40 v LIST OF TABITABLES continued page 15 effects of sex and years in program on total IQ a 1040 116 effects of sex and years in program on math achievement with year of placement as a covariate 41 17 effects of sex and years in program on math achievement with beginning grade as a covariate 1242 18 effects of sex and years in program on math achievement with achievement test as a covariate e 0 0 Is 42 19 covariate effect on reading achievement scores & e 43 20 effects of sex and years in program on language achievement with year of placement as a covariate 44 21 effects of sex and years in program on language achievement with beginning grade as a covariate 45 22 effects of sex and years in program on language achievement with beginning age as a covariate 9 9 45 23 effects of sex and years in program on language achievement with achievement test as a covariate 46 24 covariate effect on verbal IQ scores 46 25 covariate effect on nonverbal IQ scores 47 26 covariate effect on total IQ scores 48 vi LIST OF IGURESFFIGURES figure page mean fj 1 IQ scores by year in program a 0 a 0 0 6 35 vii CHAPTER I11 introduction AND STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM national disgraceonedisgrace one of the saddest stories in our 41 nations history ppa 25 0 comments senator walter F mondale indian education 1970 the most disadvantaged minority psp 15915 to asserts mcgeorge bundy ford foundation executive the angry american 197001970 the most terrible life known to any group in this country today P 1130113 1 declares a popular magazine erickson l90190197igo1970y these and other recent comments in both technical journals and popular magazines indicate a growing public and professional concern over the problems and plights of american indians today the indians themselves are also increasingly aware of their disadvantaged situation and are searching for a better life with this awareness and the introduction of the mass media improved transportation increasing education a high birth rate and continuing poverty on many of the reservations a large number of indians have moved from reservations into the cities seeking equal opportunities with their white peers A small but vocal red movement has developed recently among discontented and unhappy indians who have sought to publicize that the opportunities for indians both on and off the reservations are not equal to white opportunities the public 1 2 and indian concerns and claims of disadvantaged status are justified as the following statistics point outiouttouts 1 the mortality rate of indian babies is the highest in the united states 2 the suicide rate among indian teenagers is three times the national average 3 the life expectancy of an indian is about seven years less than the white life expectancy 4 the une ployment rate is almost 10 times the national average among indians 5eae5 the average income of indians is 1500 per year which is less than the average for any other minority groupgroups 6 the educational level attained by indians is less than half the norm of the general population and the school dropout rate is double that of the total pop- ulation illiteracy is the highest of any minority group edington 1969 erickson 1920119701190igo tunley 190197igo1970 this last statistic perhaps contains the key to the other problems faced by this minority group today education education in the american culture is traditionally a major prerequisite for success financial well being acceptance and equal opportunity particularly in employment also as education improves at least up to a certain point health improves and infant mortality decreases however education of indians in the united states has historically been and generally still is today weak inadequate and ineffective as manifest in low achievement high dropout rates and little apparent effect on life style these failures of education have many causes which should be clarified and understood before necessary changes can be instituted to ensure that indian children can receive equal opportunities in school and life in the past few years various programs have been instituted by different agencies seeking to better the Indianisindians status and opportunity through better education the particular educational 3 program of interest in this study is the indian placement program of the church of jesus christ of latterlatterdayday saints the basis of this program is to place children who can take good advantage of educational opportunities in a supportive white foster home situation during the school year so they can attend regular public schools the primary goals of this program are twofold 1 give the children a better school setting and a home with the environment attitude facilities and models that encourage scholastic achievement and 2 familiarize the indian child with the white culture so he is able to develop leadership qualities and be comfortable and successful both in his own culture and in