Intelligence test review and critique

Intelligence Test Assessment & Critique

The title of the test is the KAIT: Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test authored Alan S. Kaufman & Nadeen L. Kaufman. Although it is based on the much earlier Cattell-Horn text, this particular version was last fully updated in 1983, although it has underwent small modifications since.

Test Description

The test content is multivariable. Rather than measure a singular 'g' factor of generalized intelligence, it measures a 'gf' factor of general/fluid intelligence, through a multi-subtest battery. The theoretical design is to problem-solving skills using fluid and crystallized abilities, rather than to merely measure intelligence capacity, as based on the Cattell-Horn model of fluid/crystallized intelligence. (Flanagan & Flanagan, 1994)

Purpose of Test

The purpose of the test was to create a more accurate measure of intelligence than tests that merely measure generalized intelligence. The potential uses of test are similar to those of the competing Stanford Binet and Weschler models. However, the test is considered better and more appropriate for older individuals. It was normed on a representative sample of 2,000 people between the ages of eleven to eighty-five. The "KAIT's high-level, adult-oriented tasks require reasoning and planning ability, making KAIT appealing to adults. Because fine motor coordination and motor speed are not emphasized, KAIT yields a more meaningful and pure measure of intelligence of older adults." (KAIT, 2005) in terms of test structure, the core battery consists of six subtests can be administered in an hour, the expanded battery in an hour and a half. The core measures fluid and crystallized intelligence. Test administrators must be school and clinical psychologists and receive specific training in test administration pertinent to the exam. The test is scored or scaled like a conventional intelligence test, with 100 being the norm or average, although both crystallized, fluid, and extended battery applications also receive separate sub-scores.

The crystallized (or learned) scale consists of three, separately scaled and then collectively computed elements. The first is "Auditory Comprehension." This involves "listening to a recording of (or examiner reading aloud) a news story, then answering literal and inferential questions about the story. Then, "Double Meanings" which involves "studying two sets of word clues, then thinking of a word with two different meanings that fits both sets of clues." Finally, "Definitions," or "integrating two types of clues -- a word with some of its letters missing and an oral clue about the word's meaning-to identify the word. (KAIT, 2005)

The fluid (or generalized) scale consists of "Rebus Learning...learning the word or concept that is represented by a rebus (that is, a picture that stands for a word), and then 'reading' phrases and sentences composed of these rebuses;" "Mystery Codes" or "cracking a code that is used to identify a set of pictures, and then applying this code to a new set of pictures; and "logical Steps," attending to logical premises presented both visually and orally, then using these to solve a problem. (KAIT, 2005)

The administrator can add one or more of the four additional subtests to the Core Battery to administer the Expanded Battery. "These subtests permit comparison of immediate vs. delayed memory. The Expanded Battery is especially useful for clinical and neuropsychological assessment." The subsets include "Memory for Block Designs," studying a printed design that is briefly exposed, then constructing the design using six cubes and a formboard. It can also serves as an alternate subtest for the Core Battery Fluid Scale. "Famous Faces" involves "naming people of current or historical fame, based on their photographs and a verbal clue and also serves as an alternate subtest for the Core Battery Crystallized Scale. Rebus Recall involves reading phrases and sentences composed of rebuses that were learned earlier during the administration of Rebus Learning, and finally auditory recall that involves answering literal and inferential questions about news stories that were heard during administration of auditory comprehension.

The test administrator calculates scores for all components, and the final IQ score yields an assessment of both fluid and crystallized as well as general intelligence. "Each of the ten subtests yields age-based scaled scores with a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3. Adult norms are age-banded to represent changes in later life.

III. Technical Evaluation

Reliability

Internal Consistency

Core Battery Subtests -- . 87 to.93

Expanded Battery Subtests -- . 71 to.92

Crystallized Scale -- . 95

Fluid Scales -- . 95

Composite Intelligence -- 97

Evidence of reliability

Test-Retest

Core Battery Subtests -- . 72 to.95

Expanded Battery Subtests -- . 63 to.84

Crystallized Scale -- . 94

Fluid Scales -- . 87

Composite Intelligence -- . 94 (KAIT, 2005)

Adequacy of reliability evidence to support potential uses of the test

Because KAIT de-emphasizes response speed and motor proficiency in scoring this makes it especially useful when testing the elderly or other groups where measuring cognitive functioning separately from psychomotor ability is important. (as opposed, for example, young children where psychomotor ability has a higher correlation to intelligence)