Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

1999

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Learning Sciences and Human Development

Committee Chair

Richard T. Walls.

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between a history of milk A/I in infancy and intelligence in later childhood. Participants included 74 male and female children ages 3 years to 12 years, referred for psychological evaluation. Background information gathered from the primary caregiver included history of milk A/I in infancy. The Wechsler Scales of Intelligence provided information on the participants level of cognitive functioning. Findings were significant for both ANOVA and chi square analysis, with children in Group One (milk A/I) demonstrating lower IQ scores than children in Group Two (no milk A/I). The findings also suggest a relationship between milk A/I and impairment in verbal skills with a greater disparity between Verbal IQ, as opposed to Performance IQ, for percent of children falling below the cut-off scores for both below average and borderline IQ. The reported history of milk A/I was also shown to be significantly higher among those children referred for psychological evaluation (58%) as opposed to children in the general population (5%).;Discriminant analysis revealed Performance IQ subtests to be useful predictors of history of milk A/I with a 70.8% hit-rate. Verbal IQ subtests were useful predictors of milk A/I with a hit-rate of 72.1%. Two subtests together, Arithmetic and Coding, were also useful predictors with a hit-rate of 73.6%. The current findings also reveal significantly lower IQ scores for males with milk A/I history than for males with no such history. Females with milk A/I show no significant disadvantage compared to females with no milk A/I. Thus, gender is suggested as a determining factor in the relationship between milk A/I and intelligence.;The research supports the conclusion a history of milk A/I in infancy is related to below average intelligence in later childhood. Further supported is the proposed connection between a reported history of milk A/I in infancy and being referred for psychological evaluation in later childhood.

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