Intelligence testing

Abstract

Much has changed in intelligence testing technology and application since the time of Binet's (1905) breakthrough. Prior to Wechsler's innova tion of measuring verbal and performance abilities on a common test, intelligence tests of the first half of the 20th century typically offered one composite score and focused on assessment of the general intelligence construct. Edgar Doll (1953) identified the problem of overapplication and limitations of intelligence testing for the therapeutic programming for indi viduals with developmental disabilities in the 1930s and gave us the first measure of adaptive behavior, the Vineland Social Maturity Scales (Doll, 1935), to act as adjunct information more allied with day-to-day living skills than provided by formal assessment of intellectual functions. During the latter half of the 20th century, intelligence tests began to offer an increasing array of composite or part scores intended to produce a more comprehensive evaluation of individual cognitive strengths and challenges. Consequently, interpretation focused more on patterns of abil ities within individuals (ipsative test score interpretation) as opposed to just considering deviance from normative standards (Kamphaus, in press. At the outset of the 21st century the pendulum is returning to mid-swing with the concept of general intelligence gathering renewed favor in test interpretation, due in part to problems with new test overfactoring that has produced an ever-increasing array of composite scores of dubious clinical or scientific value (Frazier&Youngstrom, 2007). © 2009 Springer New York.