Measures Of Intelligence Research Articles

Moral Intelligence Inventory: A Moral Intelligence Measurement Tool for Public Junior High School Students

Moral intelligence is the ability to differentiate between right and wrong, create exact choices, and behave ethically according to applicable norms and rules. This development is purposed to produce a moral intelligence inventory. This method applies Borg and Gall development model. The population of this research is students of junior high schools in Malang. Indeed, the sampling is decided through cluster random sampling, wherein 300 students were selected as the research sample. The data are analyzed using Product Moment Pearson analysis, Alpha Cronbach, normality test, and factor analysis. This development draws on a moral intelligence inventory product for junior high school students in Malang, which consists of 45 statement items. These met the criteria of moral intelligence inventory, validity test, and reliability test on a high scale with a 0.907 coefficient. Future research is suggested to improve moral intelligence inventory for elementary, senior high school, and vocational school students. They considered that these levels' development, age maturity, and learning process differ from junior high school. Additionally, the following researchers are expected to employ other theories that discuss moral intelligence to assist students in finding out their moral intelligence level. Keywords: Moral intelligence, vocational school, students.

Interactional competencies in medical student admission- what makes a "good medical doctor"?

Doctors' interactional competencies play a crucial role in patient satisfaction, well-being, and compliance. Accordingly, it is in medical schools' interest to select candidates with strong interactional abilities. While Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) provide a useful context to assess such abilities, the evaluation of candidate performance during MMIs is not always based on a solid theoretical framework. The newly developed selection procedure "Interactional Competencies - Medical Doctors (IC-MD)" uses an MMI circuit with five simulation patient scenarios and is rated based on the theoretically and empirically grounded construct of emotional availability. A first validation study with N = 70 first-semester medical students took place in 2021. In terms of convergent validity, IC-MD ratings showed strong correlations with simulation patients' satisfaction with the encounter (r =.57) but no association with emotional intelligence measures. IC-MD ratings were not related to high school performance or a cognitive student aptitude test, indicating divergent validity. Inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.63) and generalizability (Eρ2 = 0.64) were satisfactory. The IC-MD proved to be fair regarding participants' age and gender. Participants with prior work experience in healthcare outperformed those without such experience. Participant acceptance of the procedure were good. The IC-MD is a promising selection procedure capable of assessing interactional competencies relevant to the medical setting. Measures of interactional competencies can complement the use of cognitive selection criteria in medical student admission. The predictive validity of the IC-MD needs to be addressed in future studies.

What are the neurodevelopmental outcomes of children with asymptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection at birth? A systematic literature review.

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is among the most common congenital infections globally. Of 85%-90% cCMV-infected infants without symptoms at birth, 10%-15% develop sequelae, most commonly sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL); their childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes are less well understood. Embase and MEDLINE were searched for publications from 16th September 2016 to 9th February 2024 to identify studies reporting primary data on neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with asymptomatic cCMV (AcCMV), measured using assessment tools or as evaluated by the study investigators, clinicians, educators, or parents. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was applied to studies to assess risk of bias. Of 28 studies from 18 mostly high-income countries, there were 5-109 children with AcCMV per study and 6/28 had a mean or median age at last follow-up of ≥5years. Children with AcCMV had better neurodevelopmental outcomes than children with symptomatic cCMV in 16/19 studies. Of 9/28 studies comparing AcCMV with CMV-uninfected children, six reported similar outcomes whilst three reported differences limited to measures of full-scale intelligence and receptive vocabulary among children with AcCMV and SNHL, or more generally in motor impairment. Common limitations of studies for our question were a lack of cCMV-uninfected controls, heterogeneous definitions of AcCMV, lack of focus on neurodevelopment, selection bias and inadequate follow-up. There was little evidence of children with AcCMV having worse neurodevelopmental outcomes than CMV-uninfected children, but this conclusion is limited by study characteristics and quality; findings highlight the need for well-designed and standardised approaches to investigate long-term sequelae.

Imaging body-mind crosstalk in young adults

ObjectiveThere is evidence that complex relationships exist between motor functions, brain structure, and cognitive functions, particularly in the aging population. However, whether such relationships observed in older adults could extend to other age groups (e.g., younger adults) remains to be elucidated. Thus, the current study addressed this gap in the literature by investigating potential associations between motor functions, brain structure, and cognitive functions in a large cohort of young adults MethodsIn the current study, data from 910 participants (22–35 yr) were retrieved from the Human Connectome Project. Interactions between motor functions (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness, gait speed, hand dexterity, and handgrip strength), brain structure (i.e., cortical thickness, surface area, and subcortical volumes), and cognitive functions were examined using linear mixed-effects models and mediation analyses. The performance of different machine-learning classifiers to discriminate young adults at three different levels (related to each motor function) was compared ResultsCardiorespiratory fitness and hand dexterity were positively associated with fluid and crystallized intelligence in young adults, whereas gait speed and handgrip strength were correlated with specific measures of fluid intelligence (e.g., inhibitory control, flexibility, sustained attention, and spatial orientation; false discovery rate [FDR] corrected, p < 0.05). The relationships between cardiorespiratory fitness and domains of cognitive function were mediated by surface area and cortical volume in regions involved in the default mode, sensorimotor, and limbic networks (FDR corrected, p < 0.05). Associations between handgrip strength and fluid intelligence were mediated by surface area and volume in regions involved in the salience and limbic networks (FDR corrected, p < 0.05). Four machine-learning classifiers with feature importance ranking were built to discriminate young adults with different levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (random forest), gait speed, hand dexterity (support vector machine with the radial kernel), and handgrip strength (artificial neural network) ConclusionsIn summary, similar to observations in older adults, the current study provides empirical evidence (i) that motor functions in young adults are positively related to specific measures of cognitive functions, and (ii) that such relationships are at least partially mediated by distinct brain structures. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that machine-learning classifier has a promising potential to be used as a classification tool and decision support for identifying populations with below-average motor and cognitive functions.

Ketamine vs Electroconvulsive Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression

The ELEKT-D: Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) vs Ketamine in Patients With Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) (ELEKT-D) trial demonstrated noninferiority of intravenous ketamine vs ECT for nonpsychotic TRD. Clinical features that can guide selection of ketamine vs ECT may inform shared decision-making for patients with TRD. To evaluate whether selected clinical features were associated with differential improvement with ketamine vs ECT. This secondary analysis of an open-label noninferiority randomized clinical trial was a multicenter study conducted at 5 US academic medical centers from April 7, 2017, to November 11, 2022. Analyses for this study, which were not prespecified in the trial protocol, were conducted from May 10 to Oct 31, 2023. The study cohort included patients with TRD, aged 21 to 75 years, who were in a current nonpsychotic depressive episode of at least moderate severity and were referred for ECT by their clinicians. Eligible participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either 6 infusions of ketamine or 9 treatments with ECT over 3 weeks. Association between baseline factors (including 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report [QIDS-SR16], Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS], premorbid intelligence, cognitive function, history of attempted suicide, and inpatient vs outpatient status) and treatment response were assessed with repeated measures mixed-effects model analyses. Among the 365 participants included in this study (mean [SD] age, 46.0 [14.5] years; 191 [52.3%] female), 195 were randomized to the ketamine group and 170 to the ECT group. In repeated measures mixed-effects models using depression levels over 3 weeks and after false discovery rate adjustment, participants with a baseline QIDS-SR16 score of 20 or less (-7.7 vs -5.6 points) and those starting treatment as outpatients (-8.4 vs -6.2 points) reported greater reduction in the QIDS-SR16 with ketamine vs ECT. Conversely, those with a baseline QIDS-SR16 score of more than 20 (ie, very severe depression) and starting treatment as inpatients reported greater reduction in the QIDS-SR16 earlier in course of treatment (-8.4 vs -6.7 points) with ECT, but scores were similar in both groups at the end-of-treatment visit (-9.0 vs -9.9 points). In the ECT group only, participants with higher scores on measures of premorbid intelligence (-14.0 vs -11.2 points) and with a comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis (-16.6 vs -12.0 points) reported greater reduction in the MADRS score. Those with impaired memory recall had greater reduction in MADRS during the second week of treatment (-13.4 vs -9.6 points), but the levels of MADRS were similar to those with unimpaired recall at the end-of-treatment visit (-14.3 vs -12.2 points). Other results were not significant after false discovery rate adjustment. In this secondary analysis of the ELEKT-D randomized clinical trial of ECT vs ketamine, greater improvement in depression was observed with intravenous ketamine among outpatients with nonpsychotic TRD who had moderately severe or severe depression, suggesting that these patients may consider ketamine over ECT for TRD.

Longitudinal look at individual resident preferences to prevent burnout: Which matter the most?

ABSTRACT A longitudinal look at individual resident preferences to prevent burnout: Which matter the most? Background and Objectives Burnout among residents-in-training is being reported more frequently. Previous studies have shown that lower measures of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and gratitude earlier in residency were associated with higher burnout scores later. Many studies have reported interventions intended to lessen burnout but not chosen by the residents with variable results on subsequent burnout measures. This paper reports an individually paired longitudinal analysis of strategies ranked by the resident as important with a subsequent burnout measure. Methods From 2017 through 2021, 32 residents completed a survey ranking their preference of ten approaches to preventing burnout at the beginning of the academic year. Then they later completed a burnout survey at the end of each year. Results With a usable response rate of 94% and calculating Spearman’s Correlation, residents completing their first year of training after medical school (PG-1) who gave a higher rank to a workplace supporting their personal values (p=.016), self-care (p=.031), and administrative support (p=.046) showed less burnout at the end of the year. PG-3s (those completing their third year of training after medical school) who gave a higher rank to spending time with family and friends (p=.002) showed less burnout. For all three years, the most powerful correlation was with adopting a healthy philosophical outlook (p=.014, .008, &lt;.001). Conclusions In this group of residents, the correlations of preferred strategies for lessening burnout differed by training level. Rather than faculty choosing an intervention, we propose these ten strategies as a potential menu, allowing the individual resident to focus on their preferences working with a mentor. Group discussion of methods used by individual residents to adopt a healthy philosophical outlook would also be helpful.

Functional phenotypes in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: defining the constructs and identifying biopsychosocial correlates using data-driven methods

Functional impairments contribute to poor quality of life in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). We sought to (Objective I) define the main functional phenotypes in SSD, then (Objective II) identify key biopsychosocial correlates, emphasizing interpretable data-driven methods. Objective I was tested on independent samples: Dataset I (N = 282) and Dataset II (N = 317), with SSD participants who underwent assessment of multiple functioning areas. Participants were clustered based on functioning. Objective II was evaluated in Dataset I by identifying key features for classifying functional phenotype clusters from among 65 sociodemographic, psychological, clinical, cognitive, and brain volume measures. Findings were replicated across latent discriminant analyses (LDA) and one-vs.-rest binomial regularized regressions to identify key predictors. We identified three clusters of participants in each dataset, demonstrating replicable functional phenotypes: Cluster 1—poor functioning across domains; Cluster 2—impaired Role Functioning, but partially preserved Independent and Social Functioning; Cluster 3—good functioning across domains. Key correlates were Avolition, anhedonia, left hippocampal volume, and measures of emotional intelligence and subjective social experience. Avolition appeared more closely tied to role functioning, and anhedonia to independent and social functioning. Thus, we found three replicable functional phenotypes with evidence that recovery may not be uniform across domains. Avolition and anhedonia were both critical but played different roles for different functional domains. It may be important to identify critical functional areas for individual patients and target interventions accordingly.

Advancing with age: Older adults excel in comprehension of novel metaphors.

Older adults may experience certain forms of cognitive decline, but some forms of semantic memory remain intact in older age. To address how metaphor comprehension changes with age and whether metaphor comprehension relies more heavily on analogical reasoning (supported by fluid intelligence) or on conceptual combination (supported by crystalized intelligence), we compared performance of younger and older adults. In two experiments, healthy older adults (54-88 years) scored lower on a measure of fluid intelligence (Ravens Progressive Matrices) but higher on a measure of crystalized intelligence (Mill Hill Vocabulary Test) relative to younger adults (18-34 years). Groups were equally successful in comprehending relatively easy metaphors (Study 1), but older adults showed a striking advantage over younger adults for novel literary metaphors (Study 2). Mixed-effects modeling showed that measures of fluid and crystalized intelligence each made separable contributions to metaphor comprehension for both groups, but older adults relied more on crystalized intelligence than did younger adults. These age-related dissociations clarify cognitive effects of aging and highlight the importance of crystalized intelligence for metaphor comprehension in both younger and older adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

QOL-43. COMPARISON OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH MEASURES ON IQ AND ACADEMIC OUTCOMES IN PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMORS

Abstract BACKGROUND Treatment for pediatric brain tumors impacts IQ and academic achievement; fewer studies have examined the role of social determinants of health (SDoH). To date, studies have primarily focused on family-based SDoH such as insurance type or parental education as predictors of cognition. Limited studies have examined community factors, though our work highlighted the role of education quality on IQ and academics in pediatric brain tumors. To our knowledge, no study has examined the predictive value of family and community-based SDoH. METHODS Participants included 151 pediatric brain tumor patients (M age at diagnosis=8.82) seen for a clinical neuropsychological evaluation (M age at evaluation=13.71). IQ was obtained from age-appropriate intelligence measures (WISC&amp;gt;6 years, DAS-II&amp;lt;6 years); untimed reading and math calculation were examined via WIAT/KTEA/WJ subtests. Family-based SDoH included insurance type (public, private) and maternal education (&amp;lt;high school degree, some college, &amp;gt;college degree). Community-based SDoH included the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and Education, Health-Environment, and Social-Economic indices from the Childhood Opportunity Index (COI). Multiple regressions examined variance in IQ, reading, and math accounted for by each of the SDoH measures, after controlling for treatment exposures using the Neurological Predictor Scale (NPS). RESULTS Insurance [β=-.302, t(151)=-4.00; p&amp;lt;001] and Education [β=.235, t(151)=3.14; p=.002] accounted for 14.9% and 19.7% of the IQ variance, respectively. Education also accounted for 12.8% of the reading variance (β=.304, t(109)=3.40; p&amp;lt;.001). Both the Education [β=.570, t(107)=3.41; p&amp;lt;.001] and Social-Economic [β=-.381, t(107)=-2.28; p=.03] indices accounted for 7.7% and 11.3% of the math calculation variance, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Community, particularly those related to education and social &amp; economic resources, and family factors (e.g., insurance status) were associated with IQ and academic performance. Findings indicate the importance of investigating both family and community factors that may contribute to outcomes in pediatric brain tumors.

Cultural Perspective on Emotional Intelligence and Behaviour Patterns Among Adolescents in Gujarat and Maharashtra

Background Understanding the complex interplay between emotional intelligence and behaviour patterns among adolescents holds a pivotal role in shaping their developmental trajectories and overall well-being. Adolescence, marked by rapid physical, emotional and cognitive changes, is a critical phase where emotional skills and behavioural tendencies are particularly malleable. Purpose The study investigates the interplay between emotional intelligence and behaviour patterns among adolescents in Gujarat and Maharashtra, India. The research objectives encompassed assessing emotional intelligence levels, exploring gender differences and examining the relationship between emotional intelligence and behaviour patterns. Methods The research design employed ex post facto methodology, collecting data from 740 adolescents across CBSE schools. Validated measures for emotional intelligence and criminal propensity were utilized. Results The results revealed the impact of gender, regions and their interaction on different dimensions of emotional intelligence and criminal propensity. While some dimensions were significantly influenced by these factors, others remained unaffected. The correlation analysis underscored intricate relationships between emotional intelligence dimensions and criminal propensity. Conclusion The study contributes valuable insights into the dynamics of Emotional Intelligence and Behaviour Patterns among adolescents, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support systems. These findings hold implications for educators, parents and policymakers in fostering Emotional Intelligence development and curbing potential Behavioural concerns among adolescents.

Artificial intelligence psychological anthropomorphism: scale development and validation

ABSTRACT This study explores the conceptualization, dimensional structure, and measurement of artificial intelligence (AI) psychological anthropomorphism in service scenarios. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews. A grounded theory research approach was employed to construct a structural model of AI psychological anthropomorphism that included the dimensions of personality, empathy, and mind. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were subsequently conducted on questionnaire data collected through online surveys and from which a scale for AI psychological anthropomorphism was developed. It consisted of 16 items and demonstrated good reliability and validity. Moreover, using structural equation modeling, strong nomological validity was demonstrated. The results indicate that AI psychological anthropomorphism and its dimensions significantly and positively predict trust and identity threat. These findings enhance understanding of the conceptual meaning and dimensional structure of AI psychological anthropomorphism in service scenarios, as well as provide a psychometrically reliable and valid measurement tool for use in subsequent empirical research. Additionally, the findings offer important insights for AI developers, service providers, and regulatory agencies to ameliorate AI design, formulate AI marketing strategies, and refine AI governance policies.

Association of domain-general speed of information processing with spoken language outcomes in prelingually-deaf children with cochlear implants

Spoken language development after pediatric cochlear implantation requires rapid and efficient processing of novel, degraded auditory signals and linguistic information. These demands for rapid adaptation tax the information processing speed ability of children who receive cochlear implants. This study investigated the association of speed of information processing ability with spoken language outcomes after cochlear implantation in prelingually deaf children aged 4–6 years. Two domain-general (visual, non-linguistic) speed of information processing measures were administered to 21 preschool-aged children with cochlear implants and 23 normal-hearing peers. Measures of speech recognition, language (vocabulary and comprehension), nonverbal intelligence, and executive functioning skills were also obtained from each participant. Speed of information processing was positively associated with speech recognition and language skills in preschool-aged children with cochlear implants but not in normal-hearing peers. This association remained significant after controlling for hearing group, age, nonverbal intelligence, and executive functioning skills. These findings are consistent with models suggesting that domain-general, fast-efficient information processing speed underlies adaptation to speech perception and language learning following implantation. Assessment and intervention strategies targeting speed of information processing may provide better understanding and development of speech-language skills after cochlear implantation.

Associations of childhood, adolescence, and midlife cognitive function with DNA methylation age acceleration in midlife.

Prior studies showed increased age acceleration (AgeAccel) is associated with worse cognitive function among old adults. We examine the associations of childhood, adolescence and midlife cognition with AgeAccel based on DNA methylation (DNAm) in midlife. Data are from 359 participants who had cognition measured in childhood and adolescence in the Child Health and Development study, and had cognition, blood based DNAm measured during midlife in the Disparities study. Childhood cognition was measured by Raven's Progressive Matrices and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT). Adolescent cognition was measured only by PPVT. Midlife cognition included Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR), Verbal Fluency (VF), Digit Symbol (DS). AgeAccel measures including Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, GrimAge and DunedinPACE were calculated from DNAm. Linear regressions adjusted for potential confounders were utilized to examine the association between each cognitive measure in relation to each AgeAccel. There are no significant associations between childhood cognition and midlife AgeAccel. A 1-unit increase in adolescent PPVT, which measures crystalized intelligence, is associated with 0.048-year decrease of aging measured by GrimAge and this association is attenuated after adjustment for adult socioeconomic status. Midlife crystalized intelligence measure WTAR is negatively associated with PhenoAge and DunedinPACE, and midlife fluid intelligence measure (DS) is negatively associated with GrimAge, PhenoAge and DunedinPACE. AgeAccel is not associated with VF in midlife. In conclusion, our study showed the potential role of cognitive functions at younger ages in the process of biological aging. We also showed a potential relationship of both crystalized and fluid intelligence with aging acceleration.

A Novel Approach to Measuring an Old Construct: Aligning the Conceptualisation and Operationalisation of Cognitive Flexibility.

A successful adjustment to dynamic changes in one's environment requires contingent adaptive behaviour. Such behaviour is underpinned by cognitive flexibility, which conceptually is part of fluid intelligence. We argue, however, that conventional approaches to measuring fluid intelligence are insufficient in capturing cognitive flexibility. We address the discrepancy between conceptualisation and operationalisation by introducing two newly developed tasks that aim at capturing within-person processes of dealing with novelty. In an exploratory proof-of-concept study, the two flexibility tasks were administered to 307 university students, together with a battery of conventional measures of fluid intelligence. Participants also provided information about their Grade Point Averages obtained in high school and in their first year at university. We tested (1) whether an experimental manipulation of a requirement for cognitive inhibition resulted in systematic differences in difficulty, (2) whether these complexity differences reflect psychometrically differentiable effects, and (3) whether these newly developed flexibility tasks show incremental value in predicting success in the transition from high school to university over conventional operationalisations of fluid intelligence. Our findings support the notion that cognitive flexibility, when conceptualised and operationalised as individual differences in within-person processes of dealing with novelty, more appropriately reflects the dynamics of individuals' behaviour when attempting to cope with changing demands.

Analysis of Autism Incidence in High IQ Societies

This study investigates the prevalence of autistic traits among individuals with high IQ, specifically in populations whose admission to high-IQ societies requires a score in the 98ᵗʰ percentile or above. The investigation incorporates a meticulous bibliographic review, complemented by interviews with representatives from high-IQ societies such as Intertel, Infinity International Society (IIS), ePiq, and ISI Society. These societies report the absence of an explicit criterion for autism diagnosis during the admission process, which is based solely on supervised psychometric IQ tests. Nonetheless, these organizations acknowledge a notable incidence of IQ reports coinciding with preexisting autism diagnoses but do not believe they constitute the majority or even half of the individuals. A survey conducted with members of the “Gifted” group, represented by high-IQ individuals from various nationalities with a predominance of Europeans and Brazilians, revealed that while the majority of participants had taken IQ tests, those diagnosed with autism did not constitute the majority. This phenomenon suggests a significant barrier in the comprehensive assessment of autism in contexts where the primary focus is intelligence measurement. This study implies the need for a deeper integration of neuropsychological diagnoses into the admission processes of these societies for a more precise mapping of the intersections between high IQ and autistic traits.

Randomised controlled trial of an online cognitive training program in school-aged children with cerebral palsy

BackgroundChildren with cerebral palsy (CP) experience deficits in nonverbal reasoning. The SMART online cognitive intervention has been associated with gains in IQ and nonverbal IQ in previous studies in typically developing school-aged children and children experiencing learning difficulties. AimTo assess the efficacy of an online cognitive intervention in school-aged children with CP. Methods and Procedures21 children with CP (male n = 17; 76.2%), mean age 9 y 8 m, SD 1 y 1 month (range 8 y 3 m to 12 y 6 m) were randomised into the intervention group (n = 9) or a waitlist control group. A mixed-methods approach with an explanatory sequential design was used, with a randomised controlled trial followed by qualitative interviews. Participants were assessed on measures of intelligence, academic ability, attention and executive functioning, and social-emotional functioning at baseline, then after completing the training, or the waitlist period. Analyses included ANCOVAs and paired samples t tests. Semi-structured interviews explored participants’ experiences with the training. Results and OutcomesTraining completion was low with a mean of 16.9 modules completed out of 55 available. No significant effect of training was found for the primary outcome of intelligence, or for any secondary outcomes. Participants reported barriers and facilitators for accessing the program. ImplicationsCognitive training programs addressing relational framing ability may require significant modifications before they can be effectively tested with children with CP.

Intelligence and cortical morphometry: caveats in brain-behavior associations

It is well-established that brain size is associated with intelligence. But the relationship between cortical morphometric measures and intelligence is unclear. Studies have produced conflicting results or no significant relations between intelligence and cortical morphometric measures such as cortical thickness and peri-cortical contrast. This discrepancy may be due to multicollinearity amongst the independent variables in a multivariate regression analysis, or a failure to fully account for the relationship between brain size and intelligence in some other way. Our study shows that neither cortical thickness nor peri-cortical contrast reliably improves IQ prediction accuracy beyond what is achieved with brain volume alone. We show this in multiple datasets, with child data, developmental data, and with adult data; we show this with data acquired either at multiple sites, or at a single site; we show this with data acquired with different MRI scanner manufacturers, or with all data acquired on a single scanner; and we show this with fluid intelligence, full-scale IQ, performance IQ, and verbal IQ. But our point is not really even about IQ; rather we proffer a methodological caveat and potential explanation of the discrepancies in previous results, and which applies broadly.

The Role of Family Functionality and Its Relationship with Psychological Well-Being and Emotional Intelligence in High School Students

Adolescence is acknowledged as a critical transition stage in human development, during which factors such as family environment, psychological well-being, and emotional competencies are deemed crucial for optimal growth. Objective: A descriptive study with a quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional approach was conducted to investigate: (1) how psychological well-being, emotional intelligence, and levels of family functioning are associated with each other; (2) the presence of gender disparities in psychological well-being, emotional intelligence, and family functioning; and (3) the identification of significant differences in psychological well-being and emotional intelligence based on family functioning. Methods: Participants were recruited from six different high schools in Spain. In total, 1092 secondary school students (584 females and 508 males) aged 12–17 years (M = 14.15) completed a series of instruments that were administered in person. Subsequently, data were statistically analysed and processed. Results: A positive correlation between family functioning, psychological well-being, and emotional intelligence was observed. In addition, significant gender differences were found in measures of psychological well-being, emotional intelligence, and family functioning. Finally, higher mean scores were identified for the high-functionality group when compared to the moderate-functionality and severe-dysfunctionality groups in both psychological well-being and emotional intelligence measures. Conclusions: The authors conclude by considering the family context as a key factor in adolescent development and propose future practical applications, such as programmes aimed at improving psychological well-being.

Cognition in children with arachnoid cysts - A five-year follow-up after microneurosurgical fenestration.

In recent years there has been a re-evaluation regarding the clinical implications of temporal lobe arachnoid cysts (temporal arachnoid cysts) in children. These cysts have often been considered asymptomatic, or if symptomatic, only causing focal neurological symptoms or signs of increased intracranial pressure. However, several studies have more recently reported on cognitive symptoms improving after surgery. This study aimed to evaluate if reported cognitive improvement after surgery of temporal arachnoid cysts were stable after five years. Ten consecutive children (m = 14.65; range 12.1-19.415 were assessed cognitively five years after micro-neurosurgical fenestration of a temporal arachnoid cyst. Results were compared to results from their pre- and post-surgical evaluations. Evaluations included the Wechsler-scales, Boston Naming Test (BNT), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), verbal fluency test (FAS) and Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT). The analysis revealed significant postsurgical improvement compared to baseline on the Wechsler-scales measures of general intelligence (FSIQ), verbal abilities (VCI) and processing speed (PSI). Mean differences after surgery were 8.3 for FSIQ, (p = 0.026), 8.5 for VI (p = < .01) and 9.9 for PSI (p = 0.03). There were no significant differences in mean test results when comparing postsurgical scores with scores five years after surgery, indicating long-term stability of improvements. The results indicate that affected cognitive functions in children with temporal arachnoid cysts improve after surgery and that the improvements remain stable five years later. The improvements and long term stability were also consistent with the experience of both parents and children. The findings provide a strong argument for neurosurgical fenestration of temporal arachnoid cysts in children.

Experiences of experts in intelligence measurement of South African school learners

This qualitative research study emerged from the essential need for reliable and valid intelligence test instruments for South African school learners, who are characterised as a diverse population with their variety in culture, ethnicity, and language, as well as having unequal socio-economic and educational backgrounds. The aim of this research study was to use a qualitative interpretive description research design to explore and describe the experiences of both experts in intelligence test development and/or adaptation as well as psychologists and psychometrists who have administered intelligence tests to South African school learners in various contexts. Twelve psychologists and/or psychometrists were interviewed, of which six were also experts in test development and/or adaptation, which yielded four themes after thematic analysis, namely, utilised intelligence measurements in the current South African school learner context are less relevant; the South African education system is a major issue specifically within lower socio-economic status (SES) contexts; it does not seem feasible to design or adapt suitable intelligence measures that are valid and reliable in the current South African school learner context; and key informants’ recommendations from their experiences.Contribution: This research study contributes to the understanding of the measurement of intelligence of South African school learners in diverse contexts. Findings of this research study can guide the strategic process to design an intelligence instrument suitable for a South African population of school learners, informing fair assessment practices for multiethnic equalisation.