| Abstrakt: |
Objective Education is strongly associated with neuropsychological performance, with many tests normed to education level. Educational achievement, often measured in years of school completed, is associated with executive functioning and overall health. However, education level does not account for the quality of education, which may be a better educational index for racial/ethnic minority groups. Older American Indians (AIs) suffer disproportionate rates of many age-related chronic diseases, and many have suffered traumatic educational experiences, such as mandatory boarding schools away from families and tribes that were focused on assimilation rather than subject knowledge. This study investigated the relationship between executive functioning and indices of the quality of education in older AIs. Participants and Method Participants were recruited from a southwestern urban area, who self-identified as AI, aged 55 to 80 years (n = 42). Participants who completed questionnaires, interviews, achievement (Wide Range Achievement Tests, WRAT), and executive functioning tests (WASI and verbal semantic fluency, VSF) over two sessions were included in this analysis. Results Educational achievement was positively correlated with executive functioning measures. WRAT Reading scores were significantly associated with WASI Matrix scores. WRAT reading scores were also significantly associated with VSF animals and plants, but not VSF fruits and vegetables scores. Education level was positively correlated with WASI Matrix, WASI Similarities, and VSF plants scores, but to a lesser extent than WRAT Reading scores. Conclusions Our findings suggest that, for AIs, education quality may be a better measure of education than education level. WRAT reading, as an index of education quality, had a stronger correlation with executive functioning measures. These results are consistent with the literature on other racial/ethnic groups and highlight the need for further exploration of cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
