The picture memory interference test with Iranian Americans: Does first language impact performance

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of first language on one's performance on the Picture Memory Interference Test (PMIT). This casual-comparative study examined if Iranian American students whose 1st language is Farsi performed differently from 1 st language English-speaking Iranian American and monolingual English-speaking Caucasian students, after controlling for age and gender. To conduct this investigation, 103 Iranian American students who endorsed Farsi as their 1 st language and English as their 2nd language were compared to a matched group of 103 monolingual English-speaking Caucasian students. Forty-four Iranian American students who endorsed 1st and 2nd language as English were also compared to a matched group of 44 monolingual English-speaking Caucasian students. The results of the 2 ANOVA conducted indicated that 1st language does significantly influence participants' scores on True Positive responses on the PMIT. Participants who self-identified Farsi as their 1st language recalled fewer pictures correctly on the PMIT when compared to their monolingual English-speaking counterparts. This study revealed the relevance of considering 1st language and cultural differences among ethnic minorities when administering nonverbal assessment measures of visual memory.