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Differential effects of sociocultural variables on special education eligibility categories
Author(s) -
Barona Andrés,
Faykus Suzanne P.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
psychology in the schools
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1520-6807
pISSN - 0033-3085
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6807(199210)29:4<313::aid-pits2310290404>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , ethnic group , sociocultural evolution , psychology , special education , developmental psychology , demography , mathematics education , sociology , population , anthropology
The influence of sociocultural factors (ethnicity, socioeconomic status, father absence, and family size) on special education eligibility was examined for three ethnic groups. A multiple regression procedure was used to analyze the data on 300 students referred for evaluation and found to be either not eligible for services or eligible for services as mentally retarded or learning disabled. Results indicated that only socioeconomic status and ethnicity made a significant contribution to the prediction of all three groups. Individually, father absence and family size did not contribute to the prediction of special education eligibility. Results of this study suggest that legislative mandates to control for sociocultural factors in the determination of special education eligibility have been only partially successful.