Madurez neuropsicológica en niños bilingües y monolingües de zonas urbanas y rurales de la región Arequipa

Introduction: Several studies have suggested that bilingualism favors development of neuropsychological functions. In addition, it has also been shown, in Latin American countries, children living in urban areas have a higher level of neuropsychological development than their peers who live in rural areas. Objective: To compare the neuropsychological maturity in boys and girls who live in rural and urban areas of Arequipa (Peru), according to sex, area of residence, and bilingualism. Subjects and methods: 140 children were evaluated (52.8% male and 47.2% female) with an average age of 76 months, 50% monolingual and 50% bilingual, 50% living in urban areas and 50% in rural areas. The Childhood Neuropsychological Maturity Questionnaire (CUMANIN) of Portellano et al. (2000) was used. Results: The neuropsychological maturity quotient is located at a high average level in the general sample. Girls presented a higher level of spatial structuring and neuropsychological maturity than boys. Bilingual children had a better performance in expressive language compared to monolinguals with a moderate effect size. Moreover, children residing in urban areas have higher scores in verbal fluency, reading and writing than those in rural areas, with significant differences and sizes of the big effect. Conclusions: The area of residence is determinant in the neuropsychological development of bilingual and monolingual children, in favor of those who come from urban areas in functions such as verbal fluency, reading and writing.