Intelligence (IQ) Testing

Ellen B. Braaten; Dennis Norman

doi:10.1542/pir.27-11-403

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Ellen B. Braaten, PhD*
Dennis Norman, EdD^†

^*Psychologist, Massachusetts General Hospital; Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass
^†Chief of Psychology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass

Objectives

After completing this article, readers should be able to:

Define intelligence quotient (IQ) and what constitutes the “normal” range of IQ scores.
Describe the predictive validity of intelligence test scores.
Discuss the factors that may influence performance on intelligence tests.
Recognize the relationship between variability observed in factor scores and the probability of the child having a learning or cognitive disability.
Describe how achievement tests are used in conjunction with IQ tests to determine eligibility for a learning disability.

Introduction

Intelligence tests assess a person’s mental abilities and compare them with the abilities of other people through the use of numerical scores. Although the term intelligence is used as if there is agreement on what it means, in reality there is much debate as to how this term should be and has been defined. For example, debate has surrounded whether intelligence should be considered an inherent cognitive capacity, an achieved level of performance, or a qualitative construct that cannot be measured. Psychologists have debated whether intelligence is learned or inherited, culturally specific or universal, and one ability or several abilities. While these debates are ongoing, evidence is increasing that traditional intelligence tests measure specific forms of cognitive ability that are predictive of school functioning, but do not measure the many forms of intelligence that are beyond these more specific skills, such as music, art, and interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities. (1) Despite these debates, most experts view intelligence as a person’s problem-solving abilities, such as adapting to the environment and having vocabulary skills, higher-order thinking (eg, decision making, reasoning skills, verbal and nonverbal problem-solving skills), memory, and mental speed. More specifically, for the purpose of this article, intelligence is discussed as it relates to a child’s score on the intelligence (IQ or “intelligence quotient”) tests that are used most commonly to measure …