Abstract
Performance on Piaget's conservation tasks of graded difficulty was measured in Barbadian school children, ages 9-15 years, with histories of protein-energy malnutrition in the first year of life and their matched comparisons. Previously malnourisheo children below the age of 13 years or younger showed delays in performing conservation tasks. After age 14 this difference was no longer apparent, in contrast to persistent deficits in IQ in these same children. Moreover, direct comparison of performance on the Piaget tests and on IQ in individual children confirmed that these two measures test different intellectual skills. Environmental conditions measured concurrently had an effect on conservation scores, although a significant effect resulted from the early history of malnutrition even when the environmental factors were controlled. It is concluded that conservation task skills in this age group are sensitive to the effects of early malnutrition and that these are independent of IQ. Moreover, tests of conservation may be useful in a variety of cultural settings as an alternative to other forms of cognitive testing.
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