Intelligent Testing: Bridging the Gap between Classical and Romantic Science in Assessment

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511575907.004

4 - Intelligent Testing: Bridging the Gap between Classical and Romantic Science in Assessment

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2012

Elaine Fletcher-Janzen

Edited by

James C. Kaufman

Show author details

Elaine Fletcher-Janzen: Affiliation:
University of Northern Colorado
James C. Kaufman: Affiliation:
California State University, San Bernardino

Book contents

Get access

Summary

INTRODUCTION

One of the many contributions made by Alan Kaufman to the field of psychology in the past 30 years, Intelligent Testing, became the gold standard for psychometric test interpretation and clinical assessment. It was an interpretive system developed by Kaufman (1979, 1994; Kaufman & Lichtenberger, 2004, 2006) during the revisions of the Wechsler scales (Wechsler, 1949, 1974, 1981) and introduced the notion that appropriate use of information gained from any IQ test used in a comprehensive assessment was guided by various clinical principles that incorporated both quantitative and qualitative analyses.

The development of this system was probably a natural response on the part of Kaufman and many others to calm the controversy surrounding the measurement of intelligence in the latter part of the twentieth century. Metatheoretical principles for clinical assessment were needed in the 1970s because impassioned arguments against the misuse of IQ scores were frequent, and, sadly, evidence of misuse was replete (Berninger & O'Donnell, 2005; Fletcher & Reschly, 2005; Prifitera, Weiss, Saklosfse & Rolfus, 2005).

The intelligent testing philosophy was essentially the first system of test interpretation that followed scientific principles and at the same time overtly sought to reduce inappropriate use of obtained test scores. Intelligent testing moved emphasis away from pure psychometric and reductionistic comparisons of test scores and demanded incorporation of a contextual analysis of the test subject and interventions that had ecological validity.

Type: Chapter
Information: Intelligent Testing
Integrating Psychological Theory and Clinical Practice
, pp. 15 - 29

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511575907.004 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Anastasi, A. (1988). Intelligent testing. Psychological Testing (6th ed.). New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar

Bayliss, Donna M.; Jarrold, Christopher; Gunn, Deborah M.; Baddeley, & Alan D. (2003). Do children's attention processes mediate the link between family predictors and school readiness?Developmental Psychology 39(3), 581–593.Google Scholar

Bernard, H.R. (1994). Research Methods in Anthropology, (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar

Berninger, V.W., & O' Donnell, L. (2005). Research-supported differential diagnosis of specific learning disabilities. In Prifitera, A., Saklofske, D.H., & Weiss, L.G. (Eds.), WISC-IV Clinical Use and Interpretation (pp. 189–229). Burlington, MA: Elsevier.CrossRef Google Scholar

Berninger, V.W., Dunn, A., & Alper, T. (2005). Integrated multilevel model for branching assessment, instructional assessment, and profile assessment. In Prifitera, A., Saklofske, D.H., & Weiss, L.G. (Eds.), WISC-IV Clinical Use and Interpretation (pp. 151–185). Burlington, MA: Elsevier.CrossRef Google Scholar

Blumenthal, A.L. (2001). A Wundt primer: The operating characteristics of consciousness. In Reiber, R.W., & Robinson, D.K., (Eds.), Wilhelm Wundt in History: The Making of a Scientific Psychology. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic.Google Scholar

Brecker, S.J. (2006). The newest age of reductionism. APA Monitor on Psychology, 37, 23.Google Scholar

Cole, M. (1990). Alexandr Romanovich Luria: cultural psychologist. In Goldberg, E. (Ed.), Contemporary Neuropsychology and the Legacy of Luria (pp.11–28). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar

D'Amato, R.C., Fletcher-Janze, E., & Reynolds, C.R. (2005). The Handbook of School Neuropsychology. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar

Das, J.P. (2004). Theories of intelligence: Issues and applications. In Goldstein, G., and Beers, S.R. (Eds.), Comprehensive Handbook of Psychological Assessment (pp. 5–25). New York: Wiley.Google Scholar

Flanagan, D.P., Ortiz, S.O., Alfonso, V.C., & Dynda, A.M. (2006). Integration of response to intervention and norm-referenced tests in learning disability identification: Learning from the Tower of Babel. Psychology in the Schools, 43, 807–824.CrossRef Google Scholar

Fletcher, J.M., Foorman, B.R., Boudousquie, A.B., & Barnes, M.A., Schatschneider, C., & Francis, D.J. (2002). Assessment of reading and learning disabilities: A research-based, intervention-oriented approach. Journal of School Psychology, 40, 27–63.CrossRef Google Scholar

Fletcher, J.M., Lyon, G.R., Fuchs, L.S., & Barnes, M.A. (2007). Learning Disabilities from Identification to Intervention. New York: Guildford.Google Scholar

Fletcher, J.M., & Reschly, D.J. (2005). Changing procedures for identifying learning disabilities: The danger of perpetuating old ideas. The School Psychologist, 59, 1, 10–15.Google Scholar

Fuchs, D., & Young, C.L. (2006). On the irrelevance of intelligence in predicting responsiveness to reading instruction. Exceptional Children, 73, 8–30.CrossRef Google Scholar

Golden, C.J. (1997). The Nebraska Neuropsychological Children's Battery. In Reynolds, C.R. & Fletcher-Janzen, E. (Eds.), Handbook of Clinical Child Neuropsychology, (2nd ed., pp. 237–251). New York: Plenum/Kluwer.CrossRef Google Scholar

Hale, J.B. (November, 2006). Implementing IDEA 2004 with a three-tier model that includes response to intervention and cognitive assessment methods. School Psychology Forum: Research in Practice, 1, 16–27.Google Scholar

Hale, J.B., & Fiorello, C. (2004). School Neuropsychology: A Practitioner's Handbook. New York: Guilford.Google Scholar

Hale, J.B., Naglieri, J.A., Kaufman, A.S., & Kavale, K.A. (2004). Specific learning disabilities classification in the new Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: The danger of good ideas. The School Psychologist. Winter, 6–13.Google Scholar

Hale, J.B., Kaufman, A.S., Naglieri, J.A., & Kavale, K.A., (2007). Implementation of IDEA: Integrating response to intervention and cognitive assessment methods. Psychology in the Schools, XLIII, 753–770.Google Scholar

Halliwell, M. (1999). Romantic Science and the Experience of the Self: Transatlantic Crosscurrents from William James to Oliver Sacks.Aldershot, England: Brookfield.Google Scholar

,Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004). 20, U.S.C. 1400–1419.

Ikeda, M.J., & Gustafson, J.K. (2002). Heartland AEA 11's problem solving process: Impact on issues related to special education (Research Report No. 2002–01). Available from authors at Heartland Area Education Agency 11, 6500 Corporate Dr., Johnston, IA 50131.

Kamphaus, R.W. (2001). Clinical Assessment of Child and Adolescent Intelligence (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.Google Scholar

Kaufman, A.S. (1979). Intelligent Testing with the WISC-R. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar

Kaufman, A.S. (1994). Intelligent Testing with The WISC-III. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar

Kaufman, A.S. (2000). Intelligence tests and school psychology: Predicting the future by studying the past. Psychology in the Schools, 37, 1, 7–16.3.0.CO;2-H>CrossRef Google Scholar

Kaufman, A.S., & Kaufman, N.L. (1983). The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC). Circle Pines, MN: AGS.Google Scholar

Kaufman, A.S., & Kaufman, N.L. (2004). The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, second edition (KABC-II). Minneapolis, MN: Pearson.Google Scholar

Kaufman, A.S., & Lichtenberger, E.O., (2004, 2006). Assessing Adolescent and Adult Intelligence (3rd ed.) New York: Wiley.Google Scholar

Kennedy, M.R.T., & Turkstra, L. (2006). Group intervention studies in the cognitive rehabilitation of individuals with traumatic brain injury. Neuropsychology Review, 16, 151–159.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Lichtenberger, E.O. (2006). Computer utilization and clinical judgment in psychological assessment reports. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62, 19–32.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

McCloskey, G., & Maerlender, A. (2005). The WISC-IV integrated. In Prifitera, A., Sakalofske, D.H., & Weiss, L.G. (Eds.), WISC-IV Clinical Use and Interpretation (pp. 101–149). Burlington, MA: Elsevier.CrossRef Google Scholar

McDermott, P.A., Fantuzzo, J.W., & Gluttting, J.J. (1990). Just say no to subtest analysis: A critique on Wechsler theory and practice. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 8, 290–302.CrossRef Google Scholar

Miller, D. (2007). Essentials of School Neuropsychological Assessment. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar

Naglieri, J.A., & Das, J.P. (1997). Cognitive Assessment System. Chicago. IL: Riverside.Google Scholar

Naglieri, J.A., & Paolitto, A.W. (2005). Ipsative comparisons of WISC-IV index scores. Applied Neuropsychology, 12, 208–211.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Perry, B.D., & Pollard, D. (1997). Altered brain development following global neglect in early childhood. Society for Neuroscience: Proceedings from Annual Meeting, New Orleans, 1997.

Perry, B.D. (2002). Childhood experience and the expression of genetic potential: what childhood neglect tells us about nature and nurture. Brain and Mind 3: 79–100.CrossRef Google Scholar

Prifitera, A., Weiss, L.G., Saklofske, D.H., & Rolfhus, E. (2005). The WISC-IV in the clinical assessment context. In Prifitera, A., Saklofske, D.H., & Weiss, L.G. (Eds.), WISC-IV Clinical Use and Interpretation (pp. 3–28). Burlington, MA: Elsevier.CrossRef Google Scholar

Reschley, D.J. (1997). Diagnostic and treatment utility of intelligence tests. In Flanagan, D.P., Genshaft, J.L., & Harrison, P.L. (Eds.), Contemporary Intellectual Assessment: Theories, Tests, and Issues (pp. 437–456). New York: Guilford.Google Scholar

Reynolds, C.R. (2007). Intelligent testing. In Reynolds, C.R. & Fletcher-Janzen, E. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Special Education (3rd ed; pp. 1132–1135). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.Google Scholar

Reynolds, C.R., & Fletcher-Janzen, E. (2007). Encyclopedia of Special Education (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.Google Scholar

Reynolds, C.R., & French, C.L. (2005). The brain as a dynamic organ of information processing and learning. In D'Amato, R.C., Fletcher-Janzen, E., & Reynolds, C.R. (Eds.), The Handbook of School Neuropsychology (pp. 86–119). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.Google Scholar

Sacks, O. (1990). Luria and “romantic science.” In Goldberg, E. (Ed.), Contemporary Neuropsychology and the Legacy of Luria (pp.181–194). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar

Schrank, F.A., Miller, J.A., Caterino, L.C., & Desrochers, J. (2006). American Academy of School Psychology survey on the independent educational evaluation for a specific learning disability: results and discussion. Psychology in the Schools, 48, 771–780.CrossRef Google Scholar

Siegel, L.S. (1988). IQ is irrelevant to the definition of learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 22, 469–478, 486.CrossRef Google Scholar

Tupper, D.E. (1999). Introduction: Alexander Luria's continuing influence on worldwide neuropsychology. Neuropsychology Review, 9, 1–7.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Wasserstein, A.G. (1988). Towards a romantic science: The work of Oliver Sacks. Annals of Internal Medicine, 109, 440–444.CrossRef Google Scholar

Watkins, M.W., & Kush, J.C. (1994). Wechsler subtest analysis: The right way, the wrong way, or no way?School Psychology Review, 23, 640–651.Google Scholar

Wechsler, D. (1949). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar

Wechsler, D. (1974). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. (WISC-R). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar

Wechsler, D. (1981). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar

Werner, H. (1937). Process and achievement: A basic problem of education and developmental psychology. Harvard Educational Review, 7, 353–368.Google Scholar

Wilson, E. (2001). Romantic science and the experience of the self: Book review. Journal of the History of Science in Society 92, 189.Google Scholar

Witt, J.C., & Gresham, F.M. (1985). Review of the Wechsler intelligence scale for children-revised. In Mitchell, J.V. (Ed.), Ninth Mental Measurements Yearbook (pp. 1716–1719). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.Google Scholar

Wodrich, D.L., Spencer, M.L.S., & Daley, K.B. (2006). Combining RTI and psychoeducational assessment: What we must assume to do otherwise. Psychology in the Schools. 43, 797–806.CrossRef Google Scholar

Yun Dai, D. (2005). Reductionism versus emergentism: A framework for understanding conceptions of giftedness. Roeper Review, 27, 144–151.Google Scholar