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Intelligence and Socioeconomic Context on Childhood: Comparisons by Place of Residence and School Type

Inteligência e Contexto Socioeconômico na Infância: Comparação por Região de Moradia e Tipo de Escola

Inteligencia y Contexto Socioeconómico en la Infancia: Comparación por Región de Vivienda y Tipo de Escuela

Abstract

Different aspects of the socioeconomic context can affect intelligence. This study investigated the intellectual performance of children from different places of residence and school types. The analyses compared children from the outskirts (n = 169) and the central region (n = 110) from Porto Alegre; and children from private (n = 49) and public (n = 61) schools. Data collection included the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) and sociodemographic record. Analysis of covariance (between groups) and Analysis of Variance for repeated measures (within-group) were used. Children from the outskirts region showed poorer performance on all WASI scores and, in the within-group comparison, lower results on verbal tasks - which did not occur in the central region group. Children from public and private schools differed in all WASI scores but had a similar within-group performance.

Keywords:
intelligence; socioeconomic level; child development; Wechsler Scale

Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia Av.Bandeirantes 3900 - Monte Alegre, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto - São Paulo - Brasil, Tel.: (55 16) 3315-3829 - Ribeirão Preto - SP - Brazil
E-mail: paideia@usp.br