Abstract
Intelligence is considered the strongest single predictor of scholastic achievement. However, little is known regarding the predictive validity of well-established intelligence tests for school grades. We analyzed the predictive validity of four widely used intelligence tests in German-speaking countries: The Intelligence and Development Scales (IDS), the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS), the Snijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test (SON-R 6-40), and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV), which were individually administered to 103 children (Mage = 9.17 years) enrolled in regular school. School grades were collected longitudinally after 3 years (averaged school grades, mathematics, and language) and were available for 54 children (Mage = 11.77 years). All four tests significantly predicted averaged school grades. Furthermore, the IDS and the RIAS predicted both mathematics and language, while the SON-R 6-40 predicted mathematics. The WISC-IV showed no significant association with longitudinal scholastic achievement when mathematics and language were analyzed separately. The results revealed the predictive validity of currently used intelligence tests for longitudinal scholastic achievement in German-speaking countries and support their use in psychological practice, in particular for predicting averaged school grades. However, this conclusion has to be considered as preliminary due to the small sample of children observed.
Highlights
The primary purpose of the first intelligence test (Binet and Simon, 1905) was to predict scholastic achievement in order to determine the best school setting for a child
The general intelligence indices of all four intelligence tests showed significant predictive validity for averaged school grades three years after intelligence assessment, which is in line with previous studies, showing that intelligence is a positive predictor of scholastic achievement (Deary et al, 2007; Gut et al, 2012, 2013; Roth et al, 2015)
Our results support the use of the general intelligence indices of the Intelligence and Development Scales (IDS), Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS), SON-R 6-40, and WISC-IV in order to make predictions of a child’s averaged school grades
Summary
The primary purpose of the first intelligence test (Binet and Simon, 1905) was to predict scholastic achievement in order to determine the best school setting for a child. Since the beginning of intelligence assessment, the predictive validity of intelligence test scores for scholastic achievement has been well studied. The association between intelligence and scholastic achievement seems to be stronger when using standardized achievement tests compared to school grades (Sternberg et al, 2001; Rost, 2009). Standardized achievement tests represent achievement at only one point in time, whereas school grades represent achievement over a longer period and may be influenced by other constructs such as self-control and motivation (Rost, 2009). School grades are crucial for children to be promoted to the higher grade level as well as for further scholastic and occupational qualifications (Roth et al, 2015)
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