Abstract
A necessary, albeit tacit assumption underlying pattern analysis of cognitive profiles is that an examinee’s profile pattern is not affected by the level of precision used in measuring the subtest, index or factor scores. We empirically test the truth of this assumption across various precision levels, such as IQ points (1/15SD), T-scores (0.1SD), scaled scores (1/3SD) and stanines (0.5SD). The results clearly refute the pattern stability assumption. They question the very uniqueness of profile patterns as a stable individual characteristic and challenge their use in both clinical practice and scientific research. Possible solutions are suggested and critically examined.
Highlights
1.1 Cognitive PatternsCognitive tests, such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V; Wechsler, 2014) typically yield, in addition to the total, overall IQ score, a series of subtest, index or factor scores, often referred to as the individual’s cognitive “profile” (Angoff, 1971)
For measurement precision pairs in the range 1/3SD–2/3SD, the stability figures range between 53% and 64%
For each pair of measurement precision levels, the percentage of identical patterns for four-score profiles is lower than the corresponding figure for three-score profiles
Summary
Cognitive tests, such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V; Wechsler, 2014) typically yield, in addition to the total, overall IQ score, a series of subtest, index or factor scores, often referred to as the individual’s cognitive “profile” (Angoff, 1971). Since these scores are expressed on a common (usually standardized) metric, they invite ipsative comparisons between an individual’s scores on different subtests or indexes (e.g., Bolen, 1998; Naglieri & Paolitto, 2005). According to this formula, two subtest scores can yield three distinct profile patterns, three subtests can yield 13 possible distinct profile-patterns, four subtests result in 75 potential patterns and five subtests can yield close to 10,000 (!) different profile-patterns
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