Threshold Hypothesis and Executive Function: Insights from Saudi International School Bilinguals

Abstract

The research examines the threshold hypothesis in Saudi Arabia, concentrating on the impact of bilingualism on executive function. This study looks at the differences in metalinguistic awareness, inhibitory control, attentional control, and working memory between male high school students who are balanced, dominant, or semi-broad bilingual. This study enhances the neglected field of bilingualism in Arabic-speaking areas, focusing specifically on cognitive function and multilingual proficiency. A quantitative, causal-comparative analysis was performed with male secondary school students in Saudi Arabia, classified as balanced, dominating, and semi-broad bilinguals. Participants undertook language competency evaluations utilizing the TOEFL for English and the GCSE for Arabic. We employed four cognitive tasks—grammatical judgment, Stroop test, semantic and phonemic fluency, and backward digit recall—to assess executive processes. The research employed statistical analyses to determine substantial disparities in cognitive function across the three bilingual cohorts. The results corroborate the threshold hypothesis, as balanced and dominant bilinguals surpassed semi-bilinguals in executive function tests. The absence of substantial differences between balanced and dominating bilinguals suggests that attaining a specific skill level in two languages may improve cognitive capabilities. These findings underscore the need for cultivating robust bilingual abilities to enhance cognitive performance and reinforce the threshold hypothesis in non-Western settings.