STRUCTURAL COMPARISON OF INTELLIGENCE OF POLISH AND AMERICAN CHILDRENS OF MIDCHILDHOOD

Abstract

The present study is devoted to the examination of the factor structure of intelligence measured with WISC and WISC-R derived from the testing of the sample of Polish children. The differences in the structure of intelligence that was measured with WISC and WISC-R (developed by Pietrulewicz) were investigated for a group of 30 Polish fourth-grade students (mean age 10.6). Consistent with the results of a number of other investigations, the results of this study demonstrate the considerable factorial similarity of two scales derived through the use of WISC and WISC-R and these results appear to be consistent with the results of American studies that indicate the superiority of the two-factor solution with non-Anglo-American children. Consistent with American findings, the WISC Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs were higher than those on the WISC-R. On both measures, structural results favor for two-factor solution, which approximates Wechsler’s Verbal and Performance scales. A third factor, failed to simulate Freedom from Distractibility, accounted for approximately 10% of the explained variance. On this factor, Coding was heavily weighted, but Arithmetic and Digit Span loadings ranged from modest to negative. Results provide support for the application of the Wechsler intelligence tests for children in cross-cultural settings and for interpreting the third factor according to the dynamics of specific cultures. Today WISC-R continue to be applied still in Poland for diagnostic and research purposes. Despite limitations of the present study which include the small sample size and the restriction of demographic information to rural-urban differences the results of the present study indicate that replicative studies may clarify further the characteristics of the third factor with varying populations and cultures, while still generating hypotheses with regard to formulations for enhancing learning opportunities for individual children irrespective of their ethnicity or ecological backgrounds.