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Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 5/2014

01-10-2014 | Original Paper

Prospective Associations between Bilingualism and Executive Function in Latino Children: Sustained Effects While Controlling for Biculturalism

Authors: Nathaniel R. Riggs, Hee-Sung Shin, Jennifer B. Unger, Donna Spruijt-Metz, Mary Ann Pentz

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 5/2014

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Abstract

The study purpose was to test 1-year prospective associations between English–Spanish bilingualism and executive function in 5th to 6th grade students while controlling for biculturalism. Participants included 182 US Latino students (50 % female). Self-report surveys assessed biculturalism, bilingualism, and executive function (i.e., working memory, organizational skills, inhibitory control, and emotional control, as well as a summary executive function score). General linear model regressions demonstrated that bilingualism significantly predicted the summary executive function score as well as working memory such that bilingual proficiency was positively related to executive function. Results are the first to demonstrate (a) prospective associations between bilingualism to executive function while controlling for the potential third variable of biculturalism, and (b) a principal role for working memory in this relationship. Since executive function is associated with a host of health outcomes, one implication of study findings is that bilingualism may have an indirect protective influence on youth development.
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Metadata
Title
Prospective Associations between Bilingualism and Executive Function in Latino Children: Sustained Effects While Controlling for Biculturalism
Authors
Nathaniel R. Riggs
Hee-Sung Shin
Jennifer B. Unger
Donna Spruijt-Metz
Mary Ann Pentz
Publication date
01-10-2014
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 5/2014
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9838-0

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