Visuomotor Organization and Thinking Operations Performance of School-Age Ethiopian, Bedouin, and Mainstream Israeli Children

Abstract

In this study, the cognitive performance, specifically visuomotor organization and thinking operations, of new immigrant children (Ethiopian) and children from a minority group (Bedouin) was compared to the performance of mainstream Israeli children in two age groups. By assessing the cognitive performance of children from different cultural contexts, a more basic understanding can be gained of the child's ability to perform in school, in daily self-care, and in play/leisure tasks. Furthermore, knowledge of information-processing development that influences occupation in different cultures will advance occupational science. The findings suggest that cultural context as well as schooling have a powerful impact on children's cognitive performance. The findings may have implications for various diverse populations, and therefore it is recommended to study the cognitive performance of school-age children in other populations and to use a dynamic assessment to explore the learning potential of children. It is recommended to develop preventive intervention programs in populations from diverse cultural contexts.