The measured intelligence of autistic children.

Abstract

A study is presented with a focus on IQ measurements of subnormal and autistic children analyzed for repeatability and also for relationship to other factors such as severity of illness and outcome of treatment. Initial IQ measurements correlated well with those obtained c. 5 years later (M=5.32). Of the 115 autistic children tested, 94% had General IQs in the retarded range (< 68) at initial evaluation. IQ estimates were significantly related to the severity of symptoms and effectively predicted performance at school. Children with IQ > 50 at initial evaluation, who were subsequently treated, showed a greater increase in IQ than untreated children in the same IQ range. Treatment was without differential effect for children with < 40 IQs. After treatment, Verbal IQ gains tended to be maintained or improved in groups with higher initial IQs, but stagnated or were even lost in the lower IQ groups.