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In 2023, a National Council on Measurement in Education Presidential Task Force developed a consensus framework for foundational competencies in educational measurement to guide graduate programs and subsequent professional development. This article elaborates on the social, cultural, historical, and political context subdomain from that framework. A graduate course on the history of testing and testing policy in the United States is proposed to help measurement professionals develop an understanding of historic belief systems and theories of action that affect every aspect of testing applications—definition of constructs, instrument design, respondents' interactions, interpretations and use of results, and both intended and unintended consequences. Two, accessible, key readings are proposed for each of 14 weeks addressing the following topics: IQ testing and deficit perspectives; special education placements, disproportionality, and accommodations; grade retention and tracking; college admissions testing; standards‐based reforms; 1990s performance assessment innovations; NCLB and school accountability; achievement gaps and opportunity to learn; NAEP and international assessments; standard setting and NAEP achievement levels; Common Core State Standards and ESSA; formative assessment and research on learning; culturally responsive assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent release of the WAIS-5, a decade and a half after its predecessor, the WAIS-IV, raises immediate questions about the Flynn effect (FE). Does the traditional FE of points per decade in the U.S. for children and adults, identified for the Full Scale IQs of all Wechsler scales and for other global IQ scores as well, persist into the 2020s? The WAIS-5 Technical and Interpretive Manual provides two counterbalanced validity studies that address the Flynn effect directly—N = 186 adolescents and adults (16–90 years, mean age = 47.8) tested on the WAIS-IV and WAIS-5; and N = 98 16-year-olds tested on the WISC-V and WAIS-5. The FE is incorporated into the diagnostic criteria for intellectual disabilities by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), by DSM-5-TR, and in capital punishment cases. The unexpected result of the two counterbalanced studies was a reduction in the Flynn effect from the expected value of 3 IQ points to 1.2 points. These findings raise interesting questions regarding whether the three point adjustment to FSIQs should be continued for intellectual disability diagnosis and whether the federal courts should rethink its guidelines for capital punishment cases and other instances of high stakes decision-making. Limitations include a lack of generalization to children, the impact of the practice effects, and a small sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unemployment rates among autistic people are high even among those with low-support needs. While a variety of measures is needed to address this problem, this article defends one that has not been defended in detail and that has profound implications for contemporary hiring practices. Building on empirical research showing that job interviews are a major contributor to autistic unemployment, it argues that such interviews should be abolished in many cases for autistic and non-autistic people alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and cognitive function in patients with Crigler–Najjar syndrome (CNS) type I and its impact on their lives. Twenty-one patients diagnosed with CNS type I aged 1 month to 18 years in the Paediatric Hepatology Unit of Cairo University Children's Hospital were enrolled in this cross-sectional observational study. The patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality Of Life BREF questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36). Cognitive function was assessed using the Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scale: Fifth Edition (SB5). All patients had a history of admission to a neonatal intensive care unit, 17 were managed by phototherapy only and 5 also underwent exchange transfusion. According to the WHOQOL questionnaire, 11 cases (52.4%) had a low QOL score, and 7 of 13 patients had an average score for their total IQ test. Cases with poor compliance to phototherapy had statistically significantly lower QOL scores (p=0.001), while, according to the SF36 survey, cases who received exchange transfusion had statistically significantly higher cognitive function (p=0.03). There was a positive correlation between the neurological effect as a complication of the disease and poor physical QOL. Paediatric patients with CNS have significantly lower HRQOL, especially physically, psychologically and environmentally. It is recommended that assessment of HRQOL should be a routine part of follow-up in CNS patients. Patients whose HRQOL is affected receive regular psychiatric counselling, social support and rehabilitation. Abbreviations: CNS: Crigler–Najjar syndrome; HRQOL: health-related quality of life; IQ: intelligence quotient; NICU: neonatal intensive care unit; QOL: quality of life; SB5: Stanford–Binet intelligence scale: 5th edition; SF–36: Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire; UDGT: uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl transferase; UGT1A1: uridine 5'–diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase; WHOQOL–BREF: World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, it is argued that it makes sense to define and distinguish three levels of human intelligence: intelligence as genotypical potential, intelligence as actualised in environmental interaction, and intelligence as measured by tests (IQ). This raises the questions of what is meant by the term "intelligence as potential", and how and in what sense does a child's cognitive potential express the parents' potential and genetics? The larger the number of genes involved in a certain trait, the more possibilities emerge for the formation of new combinations for that trait. The degree of similarity between a child and their parents depends on the unique combination of innate genes in each newborn child. The more genes are connected with a human trait or ability, the more refined or intricate the structure of the distribution for that trait in a population will be. The question of how a parents' genes relate to their children's genes has been studied, among other things, in 'twin studies'. Another relevant, but complicated question concerns the relation between genetics (nature) and environment (nurture). Nature appears to be at work in nurture, while nurture influences processes of nature. In psychological research, some DNA differences can be used to predict psychological differences, called polygenic scores. In this context, it is argued that individual cognitive growth comes about by all kinds of influences; psychologists call such influences 'bidirectional' influences. It is also argued that, ultimately, it is the individual human explorative activity that is responsible and a strong catalyst for the development and mastery of human traits and for the cognitive qualifications of all newborn children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers continue to debate the constructs measured by commercial ability tests. Factor analytic investigations of these measures have been used to develop and refine widely adopted psychometric theories of intelligence particularly the Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) model. Even so, this linkage may be problematic as many of these investigations examine a particular instrument in isolation and CHC model specification across tests and research teams has not been consistent. To address these concerns, the present study used Monte Carlo resampling to investigate the latent structure of four of the most widely used intelligence tests for children and adolescents. The results located the approximate existence of the publisher posited CHC theoretical group factors in the Differential Abilities Scales–Second edition and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children–Second edition but not in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fifth edition or the Woodcock–Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities. Instead, the results supported alternative conceptualizations from independent factor analytic research. Additionally, whereas a bifactor model produced superior fit indices in two instruments (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fifth edition and Woodcock–Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities), a higher order structure was found to be superior in the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children–Second edition and the Differential Abilities Scales–Second edition. Regardless of the model employed, the general factor captured a significant portion of each instrument's variance. Implications for IQ test assessment, interpretation, and theory are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to illustrate the impracticality of using mainstream formalized methods of intellectual assessments to assess Hmong American children, who came from an informal learning environment. One hundred and fifty-four Hmong American students, ages 5-18, and 51 Caucasian students, ages 5-14, were assessed using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children – Second Edition (KABC-II), along with 46 Hmong American students, ages 7-14, who were assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fifth Edition (WISC-V). Results showed that Hmong American students scored one standard deviation below the national mean on both the KABC-II and the WISC-V. These low scores were observed from samples of kindergarteners, kindergarten through 3rd grade, and students in the upper-level grades compared to a sample of Caucasian students from the same area. Some implications and future research directions are discussed.

From an evolutionary point of view the one factor that helped humanity thrive and survive against all odds was the human's ability to use their intelligence. Intelligence is what makes us unique among all the species in the world. The aim of this review paper was to discuss the role of intelligence tests in measuring intelligence of different age groups and diagnosing intellectual disability. The reviewed papers have revealed that measuring intelligence is not a construct that can only be measured for grown ups but it can also be measured for newborns. Although IQ tests are used prominently in judging school performance, job performance, intellectual disability and overall well-being, its measurement gets affected by emotions, genetics, cultural background and environmental factors. To improve the validity or accuracy of intelligence tests it is important to incorporate these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This interview was conducted in 1973 with Colonel Benjamin Wilson Venable (1894–1980), who served as a captain in the same 45th Regiment in which F. Scott Fitzgerald was a lieutenant. Venable’s lively recollections of Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre in Camp Sheridan outside Montgomery, Alabama, offer insight into daily life and military protocol at the time; his claim that Fitzgerald ranked highest in IQ in the regiment helps substantiate the belief that Fitzgerald’s intelligence has been highly underrated—something as true today as it was during the years Elmore spent working on his book-length study of The Great Gatsby from which this is an excerpt. It is published with the permission of both the Elmore and Venable families. We also thank John Kuhnle for his work on the manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fifth edition of the Stanford‐Binet Intelligence scales allows ‘full scale’ IQ (FSIQ) to be estimated using an abridged version of the test—the abbreviated battery IQ (ABIQ). Set within a public early intervention team service, the current cross‐sectional study investigated the utility of the ABIQ in estimating FSIQ for 40 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 3–5 years. A strong ABIQ‐FSIQ association was yielded (r = 0.89; r2 = 0.808) and the ABIQ did not over‐estimate mean FSIQ above a clinically‐relevant threshold; however, clinically significant over‐estimation occurred in 17.5% of individual cases. While the findings provide support for the utility of the ABIQ in estimating FSIQ for young children with ASD, caution relating to the over‐estimation of FSIQ is warranted. Careful clinical judgment–ideally based on examination of previous cognitive assessment results (if available), thorough interactional observations, and close multi‐disciplinary consultation—is necessary to determine the applicability of the ABIQ to individual cases. Autism Res2018, 11: 503–508. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary: We investigated the utility of a shortened version of the Stanford‐Binet Intelligence Scales in estimating IQ for 40 young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The findings provide qualified support for the instrument: acceptably accurate IQ estimation was achieved for most cases; but not so for a sizeable minority (17.5%). Careful clinical judgment is necessary to determine the applicability of the ABIQ to individual cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring intelligence in the blind population is a very challenging task. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, one of the most popular IQ tests, is not suitable due to its reliance on visual stimuli. However, one can observe that neuroscientists have started to look for neural correlates of intelligence, for example by measuring the accuracy of performance in a popular n-back task while subjects undergo fMRI scans. It has been shown that the so-called general intelligence strongly correlates with the memory system in sighted people. Since working memory can also be tested independently of a given sensory input, it can prove to be an excellent tool to measure the working memory capacity, which can serve as a neural correlate of intelligence in the blind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I describe the 21 ideas underlying a 42-year search to understand giftedness. I present the ideas roughly chronologically, in the order in which they arose, and discuss how in a career as in science, progress means supplementing or even superseding one idea with the next. In terms of the 21 ideas, I start with a discussion of how I thought IQ tests could account for giftedness and end with a discussion of the ACCEL (Active Concerned Citizenship and Ethical Leadership) model. But I frame the article in terms of a paradox—that despite the fact that IQs rose 30 points during the 20th century, people often seem to be operating at an intellectual level that is not notably higher and may even be lower in some respects than in previous times. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We administered the Verbal IQ (VIQ) part of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III) to the ConceptNet 4 artificial intelligence (AI) system. The test questions (e.g. “Why do we shake hands?”) were translated into ConceptNet 4 inputs using a combination of the simple natural language processing tools that come with ConceptNet together with short Python programs that we wrote. The question answering used a version of ConceptNet based on spectral methods. The ConceptNet system scored a WPPSI-III VIQ that is average for a four-year-old child, but below average for 5–7 year olds. Large variations among subtests indicate potential areas of improvement. In particular, results were strongest for the Vocabulary and Similarities subtests, intermediate for the Information subtest and lowest for the Comprehension and Word Reasoning subtests. Comprehension is the subtest most strongly associated with common sense. The large variations among subtests and ordinary common sense strongly suggest that the WPPSI-III VIQ results donotshow that “ConceptNet has the verbal abilities of a four-year-old”. Rather, children’s IQ tests offer one objective metric for the evaluation and comparison of AI systems. Also, this work continues previous research on psychometric AI. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study determined the effect of matching children with specific language impairment (SLI) and their peers with typical development (TD) for nonverbal IQ on the IQ test scores of the resultant groups. Studies published between January 2000 and May 2012 reporting standard nonverbal IQ scores for SLI and age-matched TD controls were categorized into those that matched and did not match children with SLI and TD on nonverbal IQ. We then compared the nonverbal IQ scores across matching criterions within each diagnostic category. In studies that matched children on nonverbal IQ, children with SLI scored significantly higher on nonverbal IQ tests relative to children with SLI in studies that did not match on this criterion. Therefore, it appears that the nonverbal IQ performance of children with SLI is not comparable across studies that do and do not match samples on nonverbal IQ. This suggests that the practice of nonverbal IQ matching may have unintended consequences for the generalization of research findings to the broader SLI population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In this manuscript an overview is provided of the current state of psycho-educational practice in the Netherlands, in particular the role of test outcomes considered. In order to detect clues for bridging the gap between diagnosis and intervention, one should investigate the ecology in which this gap is apparent. Method: Two in vivo studies have been carried out. In a first study, a questionnaire has been administered to a total of 36 school psychologists, 21 special care coordinators, and 44 teachers. Results: A qualitative analysis of the answers, by means of a classification scheme (κ.82), revealed questions about the specific role of intelligence tests and its consequences to educational practices. Therefore, a case study has been carried out in a second study. The case study provided in-depth information about the targeted care process around a grade 1 student. Conclusion: Results indicated a gap between diagnosis and intervention that followed after the administration of the intelligence test. Suggestions are proposed for improvement, and the need for interventions at the level of educational professionals is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today we have many exciting new technological tools that allow us to observe the brain and genome and lure us into new kinds of studies. I believe, however, that we will not be able to make truly effective use of these tools until we understand better what it is we mean to measure when we measure intelligence, how it develops, and the impact of the clear presence of gene-environment correlation on its development.

The purpose of this study was to illustrate the impracticality of using mainstream formalized methods of intellectual assessments to assess Hmong American children, who came from an informal learning environment. One hundred and fifty-four Hmong American students, ages 5- 18, and 51 Caucasian students, ages 5-14, were assessed using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children – Second Edition (KABC-II), along with 46 Hmong American students, ages 7-14, who were assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fifth Edition (WISC-V). Results showed that Hmong American students scored one standard deviation below the national mean on both the KABC-II and the WISC-V. These low scores were observed from samples of kindergarteners, kindergarten through 3rd grade, and students in the upper-level grades compared to a sample of Caucasian students from the same area. Some implications and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:Neurocognitive test batteries such as recent editions of the Wechsler’s Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III/WAIS-IV) typically use nation-level population-based norms. The question is whether these batteries function in the same manner across different subgroups based on gender, age, educational background, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, mother tongue, or race. Here, the author argues that measurement invariance is a core issue in determining whether population-based norms are valid for different subgroups.Method:The author introduces measurement invariance, argues why it is an important topic of study, discusses why invariance might fail in cognitive ability testing, and reviews a dozen studies of invariance of commonly used neurocognitive test batteries.Results:In over half of the reviewed studies, IQ batteries were not found to be measurement invariant across groups based on ethnicity, gender, educational background, cohort, or age. Apart from age and cohort, test manuals do not take such lack of invariance into account in computing full-scale IQ scores or normed domain scores.Conclusions:Measurement invariance is crucial for valid use of neurocognitive tests in clinical, educational, and professional practice. The appropriateness of population-based norms to particular subgroups should depend also on whether measurement invariance holds with respect to important subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: Fluid intelligence is described as ability to rapidly solve novel problems and capacity to manage and easily adapt to new situations. Crystallized intelligence reflects ability to timely use lifetime-learned information and skills. Bearing in mind that intelligence is one of the impaired cognitive functions in psychosis, a question arises there are if any sex differences in patients, regarding total IQ, fluid or crystallized intelligence. Aim: To evaluate sex differences in psychosis and to analyze the differences between patients and sex, age and origin matched healthy controls. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated schizophrenia spectrum patients (F20-29 based on ICD10; n = 52, age = 29,3±5,9 years, illness duration <10 years) and controls (n = 51, age = 29,8±6,3 years). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Results: Analyzing sex differences in total IQ, fluid and crystalized IQ, it has been found that women exhibited lower crystallized intelligence scores both in the patient group (p = 0,039) and in the control group (p = 0,016). Among male patients, lower scores were found in comparison to the healthy male controls in all of the categories, while female patients scores in crystallized intelligence were not significantly different in comparison to female healthy group ((p = 0,160). Conclusion: In the male subjects with psychosis, a deficit was found in both subdomains of intelligence, while in female subjects it was found in fluid intelligence only. Factors which could serve as protective from greater cognitive impairment in female patients need further evaluation, as a sign of potential mechanisms that could ameliorate the course and prognosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present investigation was to conduct a meta-analysis of the literature on examiner errors for the Wechsler scales of intelligence. Results indicate that a mean of 99.7% of protocols contained at least 1 examiner error when studies that included a failure to record examinee responses as an error were combined and a mean of 41.2% of protocols contained at least 1 examiner error when studies that ignored errors of omission were combined. Furthermore, graduate student examiners were significantly more likely to make at least 1 error on Wechsler intelligence test protocols than psychologists. However, psychologists made significantly more errors per protocol than graduate student examiners regardless of the inclusion or exclusion of failure to record examinee responses as errors. On average, 73.1% of Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) scores changed as a result of examiner errors, whereas 15.8%-77.3% of scores on the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI), Working Memory Index (WMI), and Processing Speed Index changed as a result of examiner errors. In addition, results suggest that examiners tend to overestimate FSIQ scores and underestimate VCI scores. However, no strong pattern emerged for the PRI and WMI. It can be concluded that examiner errors occur frequently and impact index and FSIQ scores. Consequently, current estimates for the standard error of measurement of popular IQ tests may not adequately capture the variance due to the examiner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an interview with award-winning author and gifted children consultant, Deborah Ruf, PhD. In the interview, Ruf emphasizes the importance of parental planning for gifted children's growth and development. She speaks to children's social, emotional, and cognitive abilities and needs as factors in developing a balanced plan. She explains IQ tests and what they mean, discusses the role of mentors, access to true peers, and the importance of the arts and experiences outside of the classroom to augment children's development. Ruf explains that the pace and depth of daily learning experiences need to be matched to the child's ability and interests. She talks of her personal experience as a parent and teacher which guided her professional development and formed her perspectives. Ruf tells parents how to notice children's reactions to their experiences and provides parenting tips on how to use this information to provide appropriate support and guidance. She discusses her book, 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options, her consultancy, Educational Options, her online business, Talent Igniter, and suggests additional references for parents. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The distinction between verbal and nonverbal cognitive abilities has been a defining feature of psychometric theories of intelligence for the past century. Despite their popularity, however, these theories have not included functional connections between verbal and nonverbal systems that are necessary if they are to explain performance in intellectual tasks involving interactions between language and nonverbal knowledge. This functional gap limits the capacity of psychometric theories to explain and predict fundamental aspects of individual differences in cognitive abilities that have long been studied experimentally. This article summarizes the history, nature, and possible causes of the problem, and then concludes with a neuroscientifically-enhanced, multimodal dual coding approach to intelligence that focuses on the synergistic interactivity of verbal and nonverbal systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: Flynn effect gains are predominantly driven by environmental factors. Might these factors also be responsible for group differences in intelligence? Group differences in intelligence have been clearly shown to strongly correlate with g loadings. The empirical studies on whether the pattern of Flynn effect gains is the same as the pattern of group differences yield conflicting findings. We present new evidence on the topic using a number of datasets from the US and the Netherlands. Score gains and g loadings showed a small negative average correlation. The general picture is now that there is a small, negative correlation between g loadings and Flynn effect gains. It appears that the Flynn effect and group differences have different causes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Much has been written about gifted students with learning disabilities, but there have been few large-scale empirical investigations, and the concept has proven controversial. The authors reviewed the available empirical literature on these students, focusing on (a) the criteria by which the students were identified and (b) the students’ performance on standardized tests of ability and achievement. In addition, the test scores of these students were aggregated to determine typical performance levels. A total of 46 empirical articles were reviewed, and major findings included wide variability in identification criteria across studies, frequent reliance on dubious methods of learning disability identification, and a lack of academic impairment among the identified students. Implications for the “gifted/LD” category are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Secular gains in IQ test scores have been reported for many Western countries. This is the first study of secular IQ gains in South Korea, using various datasets. The first question is what the size of the Flynn effect in South Korea is. The gains per decade are 7.7 points for persons born between 1970 and 1990. These gains on broad intelligence batteries are much larger than the gains in Western countries of about 3 IQ points per decade. The second question is whether the Korean IQ gains are comparable to the Japanese IQ gains with a lag of a few decades. The gains in Japan of 7.7 IQ points per decade for those born approximately 1940–1965 are identical to the gains per decade for Koreans born 1970–1990. The third question is whether the Korean gains in height and education lag a few decades behind the Japanese gains. The Koreans reach the educational levels the Japanese reached 25–30years before, and the gains in height for Koreans born 1970–1990 are very similar to gains in height for Japanese born 1940–1960, so three decades earlier. These findings combined strongly support the hypothesis of similar developmental patterns in the two countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Complex, but specific, tasks—such as chess or Jeopardy!—are popularly seen as milestones for artificial intelligence (AI). However, they are not appropriate for evaluating the intelligence of machines or measuring the progress in AI. Aware of this delusion, Detterman has recently raised a challenge prompting AI researchers to evaluate their artefacts against IQ tests. We agree that the philosophy behind (human) IQ tests is a much better approach to machine intelligence evaluation than these specific tasks, and also more practical and informative than the Turing test. However, we have first to recall some work on machine intelligence measurement which has shown that some IQ tests can be passed by relatively simple programs. This suggests that the challenge may not be so demanding and may just work as a sophisticated CAPTCHA, since some types of tests might be easier than others for the current state of AI. Second, we show that an alternative, formal derivation of intelligence tests for machines is possible, grounded in (algorithmic) information theory. In these tests, we have a proper mathematical definition of what is being measured. Third, we re-visit some research done in the past fifteen years for effectively measuring machine intelligence—since some assumptions about the subjects and their distribution no longer hold. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This is a study of secular score gains in South Africa. The findings are based on representative samples from datasets utilized in norm studies of popular mainstream intelligence batteries such as the WAIS as well as widely used test batteries which were locally developed and normed in South Africa. Flynn effects were computed in three ways. First, studies where two different groups take the same test, with several years in between, using representative or comparable samples were used. Second, studies where the same group takes two different test batteries at a specific time were used. Third, the score differences between English- and Afrikaans-speaking Whites in South Africa in the 20th century were compared. The Flynn effect in White groups in South Africa is somewhat smaller than the Flynn effect in Western, industrialized countries (total N =6534), and the Flynn effect in Indian groups is substantially smaller (total N =682). Non-verbal IQ scores surpassed increases in verbal IQ scores. The findings from English- and Afrikaans-speaking Whites evidence a leveling out of differences in score gains over the 20th century (total N =79,310). A meta-regression analysis showed no clear support for the moderators a) method used for computing the Flynn effect gain, b) type of test battery, c) time span, d) quality of the sample, and e) average age of sample. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the first article of this special issue of the Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, I critiqued Flynn’s theoretical explanation of the Flynn effect because he depended too heavily on an apparently huge generational gain on the WISC Similarities subtest; I claimed he was comparing apples with oranges because that subtest changed too much when the WISC was first revised. Four sets of esteemed researchers were invited to respond to my article and also to an article by Zhou, Zhu, and Weiss—Flynn, Sternberg, McGrew, and Ceci and Kanaya. Flynn disagrees strongly with my critique of his theory, a theory that posits striking generational shifts from concrete (utilitarian) thinking to a kind of fluid reasoning that Flynn nicknames “scientific spectacles.” In this final article of the special issue, I respond to Flynn’s claims, and also to the points made by the other invited respondents. In addition, I respond to the range of opinions expressed by the scholars who were invited to write an essay on whether or not IQs should be adjusted for the Flynn effect in capital punishment cases (Fletcher et al., Hagan et al., and Reynolds et al.). Ultimately, I disagree with Flynn’s explanation of the Flynn effect, but I agree with his position that IQs should be adjusted for the effect in death penalty cases. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Flynn wrote a book devoted to the Flynn effect, featuring his theoretical explanation of why the intelligence of worldwide populations has apparently increased from generation to generation. The essence of his theorizing is that because of the societal impact of scientific technology, people of today are much more guided by abstract, rather than concrete, approaches to problem solving. He bases his theory in large part on gains on specific tasks, most notably Raven’s matrices, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) Performance subtests, and, most important, on WISC Similarities. The gains on these separate tasks over more than half a century (1947-2002) are striking. However, Flynn failed to take into account the sweeping changes in test content, administration procedures, and scoring guidelines when the 1974 WISC-R was developed from the 1949 WISC. These substantial changes challenge the meaningfulness of comparing children’s performance in 1947 with their performance in 2002 on Similarities and other WISC subtests— and therefore challenge Flynn’s explanation of the effect that bears his name. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although both giftedness and secure attachment are associated with advanced language and good socioemotional adjustment, not all gifted children are well adjusted. This article explores the consequences of attachment style on gifted development and examines whether early trauma can be rectified. The dearth of research on giftedness and attachment has necessitated the review of less direct evidence, including brain research and maternal depression. A partly empirical, partly conceptual picture is drawn to demonstrate that attachment styles can support, reduce, and even prevent giftedness. This is further illustrated by an experiment involving IQ scores that mimics the expected effects of early trauma and insecure attachment on test performance. The article concludes by suggesting that attachment style may contribute to a gifted spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tendency to adopt a fatalistic view of American race relations is an easy posture to assume—especially in light of the contradictory realities of maintaining race as real and its obvious utter worthlessness as a scientific concept. The IQ controversy is a prime example of this problematic. Although most competent social scientists concur in the belief that race is not a valid scientific concept; and, more specifically that IQ tests are culturally biased, and, as a consequence, do not provide irrefutable proof that some so-called racial groups are superior to others in intelligence, there exist some influential neo-racists social scientists who maintain that IQ tests are valid indicators of the intellectual abilities of the so-called races. Nevertheless, some social scientists who hold that race, although not a valid scientific concept, is real—that is, real in its consequences—argue, as did Robert E. Park in (, The nature of race relations. In Race and Culture. New York: The Free), that immigration and education, will change the social habits and mores of peoples, resulting in the increasing confusion of race and class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the topic of "highly intelligent" children in Turkey (Baltaş, 2006; Bozdağ, 2001; Bümen, 2002; Demirel, Erdem& Başbay, 2006; Goleman, 2007; Koçer, 2005; Kulaksızoğlu, Bilgili & Şirin, 2004; Onay, 2006; Saban, 2005; Yavuz, 2001; Zohar & Marshall, 2004). However, the general understanding of "intelligence" seems to be the psychometric deŞnition consisting of the logical, mathematical, and verbal intelligences supposedly measured by IQ tests. In the US, currently IQ score is the main determining factor in access to gifted programs (Ascher, 1992; Borland, 2003; Sapon-Shevin, 1994). A similar situation is observed in Turkey though such schools are not as widespread. The purpose of this paper is to examine the emergence of the psychometric deŞnition in the West, look at its analysis through a Foucauldian lens (Borland, 2003) in order to increase awareness about what IQ really means, make suggestions for Turkey about the use of the tests and underline possible alternative approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: IQ scores have been increasing over the last half century, a phenomenon known as the Flynn effect. In this study, we focused on the question to what extent these secular gains are on the g factor. Two IQ batteries: the Interest-School achievement-Intelligence Test (ISI) and the Groningen Final Examination Primary Education (GALO) yielded small and modest negative correlations between standardized gains and g loadings. As these studies employ large samples this suggests that the combined literature now shows a modest negative relationship between d (the secular change in test score) and g. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

According to federal regulations, children with reading difficulties are eligible for special education services under the learning disability category if they display reading skills that are significantly lower than their scores on intelligence (IQ) tests. Children who are poor readers but do not display this discrepancy are not eligible for special education. A meta-analysis involving 46 studies addressing the validity of this classification of poor readers revealed substantial overlap between the IQ-discrepant and IQ-consistent poor readers. Aggregated effect sizes were in the negligible range for the Behavior (-.05) and Achievement (-.12) domains but in the small range for the Cognitive Ability domain (30). The latter effects were heterogeneous, with larger estimates showing higher performance by the IQ -discrepant poor readers. The size of the effects could be largely explained by the selection criteria used to form groups, indicating that variation in group definitions across studies accounted for variability in effect size estimates. These results provide little evidence supporting the validity of the IQ-discrepancy classification fundamental to public policy concerning students with learning disabilities and cast doubt on the need for IQ tests in identifying these students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment practices for children with learning disabilities (LD) in reading are driven by the three primary components of the federal definition of LD: discrepancy, heterogeneity, and exclusion. This article reviews the implications of these three components for the assessment of children with reading disabilities and other forms of LD. We propose a rationale and procedures for more efficient approaches to the identification of children as learning disabled in reading or at-risk for these disabilities that are aligned with research on reading disabilities and other forms of LD. This approach emphasizes the assessment of academic skills and their components in an effort to develop intervention plans. Intelligence tests are not necessary for the identification of children as learning disabled and do not contribute to intervention planning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The third edition of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale manual reports four-factor solutions for the WAIS-IJI, and subsequent research has validated four-factor solutions for a variety of samples. These four factors consistently correspond to the four Factor Indexes that are yielded by the WAIS-III. However, the WAIS-LIL still provides Verbal and Performance IQs, in addition to the Indexes, making it desirable to examine two-factor solutions as well. In addition, because the Wechsler literature includes much interpretation of three-factor solutions, these solutions were likewise examined. Principal factor analysis followed by Varimax and Oblimin rotations of two and three factors were performed on data for the total WAIS-11 sample ages 16 to 89 years (N = 2,450). The two-factor solutions were viewed as a construct validation of Wechsler's two separate IQs, although the Working Memory subtests tended to load higher on the Performance scale than on their intended scale (Verbal); three-factor solutions were interpreted within the context of Horn's expanded fluid-crystallized theory and research on working memory. Both the two and three-factor Varimax-rotated solutions were related to similar factor analyses conducted previously for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III. Co-Efficients of congruence between like-named factors consistently exceeded .90, and usually .98, across different Wechsler batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In an otherwise interesting and enlightening article, Borghans, Golsteyn, Heckman, and Humphries (2011) analyzed evidence from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) to support their contention that “achievement” tests have greater power than “IQ” tests in predicting “a variety of life outcomes”. A key point in their argument is their contention that scores on the Armed Forces Qualifications Test (AFQT) represent “achievement” scores and that the AFQT is qualitatively different from purported true “IQ” score data also available in the NLSY79. This contention is based on both conceptual argument and empirical analysis of NLSY79 data. This comment disputes their contention on both grounds. First, it argues that their conceptual distinction is contradicted in the educational testing literature and is based on erroneous assumptions about the nature of the purported true “IQ” test data in the NLSY79. Second, it presents evidence that their empirical findings flow from problems in true “IQ” score imputation and large gaps in calendar time between the purported true “IQ” tests and AFQT and personality test data in the NLSY79 data set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]