Date of Award
2001
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Geography, Geology, and Anthropology
Abstract
The current study was designed to examine the relationship between acculturation and SAT exam scores. One-hundred and seventy African American college men and women from a midwestern university participated in the study; 78 had SAT scores available. Participants' informed consent was received to obtain SAT exam scores and demographic information from the university's Institutional Research and Testing Center (IRT). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and the African American Acculturation Survey-Revised (AAAS-R; Klonoff & Landrine, 2000). Bivariate correlations were conducted to examine the relationship between African American acculturation and SAT scores and to examine the relationship between AAAS-R subscale scores and SAT scores. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to determine if SAT scores differed based on degree of acculturation. No significant relationship was found between acculturation and SAT score nor between AAAS-R subscale and SAT score. In addition, SAT scores did not differ based on degree of acculturation. Examination of participant responses revealed that a large number of participants provided false information (i.e., false names and false social security) on the release of information forms, thereby blocking access to theirEducational records. Three subgroups emerged based on response behavior and available information: (1) SAT Group, participants who provided correct information and had SAT scores available, (2) No SAT Group, participants who provided correct information but did not have SAT scores on record at the university, and (3) False Information Group, participants who provided false information including false names and social security numbers. ANOVAs were conducted to examine the differences between three subgroups on AAAS-R subscale scores, AAAS-R total scores, and reported SAT scores. A significant difference was found on the Health Subscale of the AAAS-R. No significant differences were found for AAAS-R total scores. Chi Square Analyses were conducted to examine differences among the three subgroups across demographics. Significantly more men than women provided false information. More participants in the SAT Group and No SAT Group reported participation. Participants in the SAT Group and No SAT Group reported significantly lower SATV and SATM scores than the False Information group. The results of the current study are important in that they call into question measures and methods often used in acculturation research.
Recommended Citation
Duren, Tonika E., "Examining The Gap: The Relationship Between Levels Of Acculturation And Scholastic Achievement Test (Sat) Scores Among African American College Students" (2001). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 990.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/990