A comparison of Native American and white students’ cognitive strengths as measured by the Kaufman assessment battery for children

This study compared relative cognitive strengths of American Indian and White students, ages seven through twelve years. The sample group included 57 American Indian subjects and 60 White subjects attending schools within a single school district in southcentral Montana. These children had all been referred for assessment for possible placement in an enrichment program for students of high ability. All subjects were administered the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, and scores were analyzed through a one‐way Analysis of Variance. There were found to be no significant differences between the two group means on the Mental Processing Composite. However, Indian subjects scored significantly higher than White subjects in Simultaneous Processing, and White subjects scored significantly higher than Indian subjects in Sequential Processing. Indian subjects also achieved significantly higher scores in three of five Simultaneous Processing subtests. Possible interpretations of statistical differences and implications for educators are discussed.