Variation in early cognitive development by maternal immigrant documentation status

Abstract

Children of Latino immigrants − including children of undocumented Latino immigrants − are among the fastest-growing demographic subgroups in the U.S. Although they possess great strengths and diversity, studies have identified gaps in early reading and math scores between preschool-age children of Latino immigrants and their peers. Little is known about how these early cognitive gaps and suspected predictors vary by maternal immigrant documentation status. The current study explores these unanswered questions using 2001 survey data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhoods Study. We test for differences in 3–5year old children’s reading and math scores according to maternal immigrant documentation status (undocumented Latina; documented Latina; citizen Latina; non-Latina citizen White). We also examine whether associations between an extensive set of family, child, and neighborhood covariates and the reading and math scores of these children vary by maternal immigrant documentation status. Consistent with prior research, findings show a gap in reading and math scores between Latino children regardless of documentation status, and the children of non-Latina White mothers. Yet our findings reveal nuance not detected in prior studies. Specifically, children of undocumented Latina mothers face greater socioeconomic hardships and have the lowest cognitive scores. Results suggest increasing cognitive stimulation in the home and participation in formal non-parental care may help close early learning gaps between Latino children with different documentation statuses and their peers with non-Latino citizen parents.