Measure Of General Ability Research Articles

Relevanz der Neuropsychologie für die Rehabilitation von Epilepsiepatienten

A comprehensive interdisciplinary approach including medical treatment, neuropsychological and psychiatric assessment, occupational therapy, social work counselling and physical exercise is a prerequisite for effective rehabilitation in patients with epilepsy. In the face of high rates of unemployment and early disability in patients with epilepsy work (re-)integration is the main goal of rehabilitation. A literature review on the relevance of neuropsychological findings for vocational rehabilitation suggests that intelligence or other measures of general cognitive abilities seem to be closer related to employment status than specific deficits such as verbal memory. The main task of neuropsychology in rehabilitation is diagnosis and therapy of cognitive impairments. A professionally experienced interpretation of test results is crucial, especially with respect to functional relevance for work performance and further rehabilitation planning. A systematic overview of the functional implications of specific cognitive impairments and suggested interventions is given. Close collaboration of the different professions involved in rehabilitation interventions as found in our short-term inpatient rehabilitation unit is extremely helpful for a correct interpretation of test results and other findings of neuropsychological assessment.

A scalable tool for assessing children's language abilities within a narrative context: The NAP (Narrative Assessment Protocol)

Abstract Analysis of children's spoken narratives represents a potentially informative approach to language assessment within early childhood settings. Yet, narrative assessment is not readily amenable to at-scale use given the time needed to collect, transcribe, and analyze a child's narrative sample and the lack of consensus regarding what aspects of narrative expression ought to be examined (e.g., language form, language content). The purpose of this study was to describe a direct assessment of children's language abilities within a narrative context, the Narrative Assessment Protocol (NAP), which examines five aspects of language: sentence structure, phrase structure, modifiers, nouns, and verbs. In this study, we present findings regarding internal consistency, test–retest reliability, construct validity, and the concurrent and predictive validity of the NAP. NAP scores from 262 3–5-year-old children participating in preschool programs were assessed for these purposes. Findings indicated that the NAP exhibits reasonable psychometric properties across the areas addressed, to include significant concurrent and predictive relations with a norm-referenced measure of general language ability. Although more research is needed, preliminary findings indicate that the NAP provides professionals with a valid and informative assessment approach for examining children's language skills within a narrative context; such information may be useful for establishing and monitoring children's language growth within preschool programs or language interventions.

Altered functional and anatomical connectivity in schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is characterized by a lack of integration between thought, emotion, and behavior. A disruption in the connectivity between brain processes may underlie this schism. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were used to evaluate functional and anatomical brain connectivity in schizophrenia. In all, 29 chronic schizophrenia patients (11 females, age: mean=41.3, SD=9.28) and 29 controls (11 females, age: mean=41.1, SD=10.6) were recruited. Schizophrenia patients were assessed for severity of negative and positive symptoms and general cognitive abilities of attention/concentration and memory. Participants underwent a resting-fMRI scan and a DTI scan. For fMRI data, a hybrid independent components analysis was used to extract the group default mode network (DMN) and accompanying time-courses. Voxel-wise whole-brain multiple regressions with corresponding DMN time-courses was conducted for each subject. A t-test was conducted on resulting DMN correlation maps to look between-group differences. For DTI data, voxel-wise statistical analysis of the fractional anisotropy data was carried out to look for between-group differences. Voxel-wise correlations were conducted to investigate the relationship between brain connectivity and behavioral measures. Results revealed altered functional and anatomical connectivity in medial frontal and anterior cingulate gyri of schizophrenia patients. In addition, frontal connectivity in schizophrenia patients was positively associated with symptoms as well as with general cognitive ability measures. The present study shows convergent fMRI and DTI findings that are consistent with the disconnection hypothesis in schizophrenia, particularly in medial frontal regions, while adding some insight of the relationship between brain disconnectivity and behavior.

Does task-focused versus task-avoidance behavior matter for literacy development in an orthographically consistent language?

We examined the importance of children’s classroom activity, defined as task-focused versus task-avoidance behavior, on different literacy outcomes in an orthographically consistent language. Greek children ( n = 95) were tested in kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 on measures of general cognitive ability, phonological awareness, RAN, and short-term memory. The teachers of the children also assessed their task-focused behavior. Nonword decoding, reading fluency, spelling, and reading comprehension measures were administered in grades 2 and 3. The results indicated that task-focused behavior accounted for unique variance in spelling and reading comprehension, even after controlling for the effects of autoregressor, non-verbal IQ, and phonological processing.

Indice d’aptitude général pour le WISC-IV : normes francophones

The Wechsler Children Intelligence Scale–Fourth Edition (WISC-IV, 2005) allows to calculate the FSIQ and four index scores: verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. In 1998, Prifitera and colleagues recommended to calculate the General Ability Index (GAI), as an alternative composite score. This score is based on Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Reasoning only. The objective of the first study presented in this paper is to provide the GAI normative tables for the French WISC-IV; these tables were created using a statistical approximation procedure. The objective of the second study is to test the validity of these tables with data obtained from 60 children. Correlation between FSIQ and GAI is 0.91 and the relative mean difference is only 0.18 point. These tables, for the French version of the WISC-IV, allow using the GAI as an alternative measure of general ability.

The ABCs of math: A genetic analysis of mathematics and its links with reading ability and general cognitive ability.

The goal of this first major report from the Western Reserve Reading Project Math component is to explore the etiology of the relationship among tester-administered measures of mathematics ability, reading ability, and general cognitive ability. Data are available on 314 pairs of monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twins analyzed across 5 waves of assessment. Univariate analyses provide a range of estimates of genetic (h(2) = .00 -.63) and shared (c(2) = .15-.52) environmental influences across math calculation, fluency, and problem solving measures. Multivariate analyses indicate genetic overlap between math problem solving with general cognitive ability and reading decoding, whereas math fluency shares significant genetic overlap with reading fluency and general cognitive ability. Further, math fluency has unique genetic influences. In general, math ability has shared environmental overlap with general cognitive ability and decoding. These results indicate that aspects of math that include problem solving have different genetic and environmental influences than math calculation. Moreover, math fluency, a timed measure of calculation, is the only measured math ability with unique genetic influences.

INCREASED ACCURACY FOR RANGE RESTRICTION CORRECTIONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ROLE OF PERSONALITY AND GENERAL MENTAL ABILITY IN JOB AND TRAINING PERFORMANCE

A recently developed procedure produces substantial improvements in the accuracy of corrections for range restriction and reveals that predictive validities of employment selection methods are higher than previously thought. This study applied this procedure to meta‐analytic validities of 2 personality measures (Conscientiousness and Emotional Stability) and general cognitive ability measures. Results show that the increases in validity estimates are greater for cognitive ability than for personality, reducing the relative validity of personality. In addition, the incremental validity of these personality measures over that provided by cognitive ability is smaller than previously estimated. Path analyses based on the more accurate data reveal relatively smaller path coefficients from these personality traits to job and training performance. These findings have implications for theories of job performance and for the practical value in selection of personality measures relative to cognitive ability measures.

Overweight Is Associated With Decreased Cognitive Functioning Among School‐age Children and Adolescents

Childhood overweight and obesity have increased substantially in the past two decades, raising concerns about their psychosocial and cognitive consequences. We examined the associations between academic performance (AP), cognitive functioning (CF), and increased BMI in a nationally representative sample of children. Participants were 2,519 children aged 8-16 years, who completed a brief neuropsychological battery and measures of height and weight as a part of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional survey conducted between 1988 and 1994. Z-scores were calculated for each neuropsychological test, and poor performance was defined as z-score <2. The association between BMI and AP was not significant after adjusting for parental/familial characteristics. However, the associations between CF remained significant after adjusting for parental/familial characteristic, sports participation, physical activity, hours spent watching TV, psychosocial development, blood pressure, and serum lipid profile. Z-scores on block design (a measure of visuospatial organization and general mental ability) among overweight children and children at risk of overweight were below those of normal-weight children by 0.22 (s.e. = 0.16) and 0.10 (s.e. = 0.10) unit, respectively (P for trend <0.05). The odds of poor performance on block design were 1.97 (95% confidence interval: 1.01-3.83) and 2.80 (1.16-6.75), respectively, among children at risk or overweight compared to normal-weight peers. Increased body weight is independently associated with decreased visuospatial organization and general mental ability among children. Future research is needed to determine the nature, persistence, and functional significance of this association.

Evidence-based Assessment of Cognitive Functioning in Pediatric Psychology

To review the evidence base for measures of cognitive functioning frequently used within the field of pediatric psychology. From a list of 47 measures identified by the Society of Pediatric Psychology (Division 54) Evidence-Based Assessment Task Force Workgroup, 27 measures were included in the review. Measures were organized, reviewed, and evaluated according to general domains of functioning (e.g., attention/executive functioning, memory). Twenty-two of 27 measures reviewed demonstrated psychometric properties that met "Well-established" criteria as set forth by the Assessment Task Force. Psychometric properties were strongest for measures of general cognitive ability and weakest for measures of visual-motor functioning and attention. We report use of "Well-established" measures of overall cognitive functioning, nonverbal intelligence, academic achievement, language, and memory and learning. For several specific tests in the domains of visual-motor functioning and attention, additional psychometric data are needed for measures to meet criteria as "Well established."

Phonological dyslexia and dysgraphia: Cognitive mechanisms and neural substrates

To examine the validity of different theoretical assumptions about the neuropsychological mechanisms and lesion correlates of phonological dyslexia and dysgraphia, we studied written and spoken language performance in a large cohort of patients with focal damage to perisylvian cortical regions implicated in phonological processing. Despite considerable variation in accuracy for both words and non-words, the majority of participants demonstrated the increased lexicality effects in reading and spelling that are considered the hallmark features of phonological dyslexia and dysgraphia. Increased lexicality effects were also documented in spoken language tasks such as oral repetition, and patients performed poorly on a battery of phonological tests that did not involve an orthographic component. Furthermore, a composite measure of general phonological ability was strongly predictive of both reading and spelling accuracy, and we obtained evidence that the continuum of severity that characterized the written language disorder of our patients was attributable to an underlying continuum of phonological impairment. Although patients demonstrated qualitatively similar deficits across measures of written and spoken language processing, there were quantitative differences in levels of performance reflecting task difficulty effects. Spelling was more severely affected than reading by the reduction in phonological capacity and this differential vulnerability accounted for occasional disparities between patterns of impairment on the two written language tasks. Our findings suggest that phonological dyslexia and dysgraphia in patients with perisylvian lesions are manifestations of a central or modality-independent phonological deficit rather than the result of damage to cognitive components dedicated to reading or spelling. Our results also provide empirical support for shared-components models of written language processing, according to which the same central cognitive systems support both reading and spelling. Lesion–deficit correlations indicated that phonological dyslexia and dysgraphia may be produced by damage to a variety of perisylvian cortical regions, consistent with distributed network models of phonological processing.

Pragmatic Language and Theory of Mind Deficits in People with Schizophrenia and Their Relatives

Background: Deficits in theory of mind have frequently been observed in people affected by illnesses characterized by disrupted social behaviour like autism and psychoses. In schizophrenia, a pragmatic deficit in expressive language can also be observed. The present study was designed in order to assess the suitability of theory of mind and pragmatic conversation abilities as possible cognitive endophenotypes of schizophrenia. Methods: First- and second-order false belief tasks and pragmatic deficits in expressive language were examined in 38 patients with schizophrenia, in 34 non-psychotic relatives and in 44 healthy controls. An extensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment was also conducted. Results: Schizophrenic people and their first-degree relatives performedworse than the normal control subjects in false belief and pragmatic conversation tasks. General cognitive ability and neuropsychological measures of executive functions were not related to social cognition tasks. Conclusions: Theory of mind disorders and failing to understand the gricean conversational maxims are associated with schizophrenia liability.

Understanding The Neuropsychological Profile Of Hiv+ Participants With Low Literacy: Role Of The General Ability Measure For Adults (Gama)

The WRAT-3 Reading subtest (WRS) may be inappropriate in diseases having disproportionate impact on populations with educational disadvantages (i.e., HIV/AIDS). To understand how low literate individuals would perform on an IQ test requiring minimal education, the General Ability Measure for Adults (GAMA) was studied. HIV+ participants completed WRS, GAMA, and neuropsychological tests. Participants with low WRS (<80 SS) but higher GAMA (≥80 SS) had significantly better overall neuropsychological functioning than those with <80 SS on both tests. The GAMA may be a useful test when disparities in educational quality render reading-based measures of IQ a poor surrogate of premorbid function.

Language Outcomes of 7-Year-Old Children With or Without a History of Late Language Emergence at 24 Months

The aim of this study was to investigate the language outcomes of 7-year-old children with and without a history of late language emergence at 24 months. One hundred twenty-eight children with a history of late language emergence (LLE) at 24 months and 109 children with a history of normal language emergence (NLE) at 24 months participated in direct behavioral assessment of multiple dimensions of language at 7 years. The children were recruited from a prospective cohort study of 1,766 epidemiologically ascertained 24-month-old singleton children. The group mean for the LLE children was within the typical range on an omnibus measure of general language ability and measures of specific dimensions of language. However, a greater percentage of LLE children, relative to NLE children, performed below normative expectations on a measure of general language ability (20% versus 11%), speech (7% versus 2%), syntax (18% versus 8%), and morphosyntax (9%-23% versus 2%-14%), but not vocabulary or semantics. The results provide support for growth models of language impairment that predict that late onset of language foretells a protracted growth difference for some LLE children relative to NLE children, particularly for syntax and morphosyntax.

Executive dysfunction and its association with personality and behaviour changes in the development of Alzheimer's disease in adults with Down syndrome and mild to moderate learning disabilities

Recent research suggests that preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) in people with Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by changes in personality/behaviour and executive dysfunction that are more prominent than deterioration in episodic memory. This study examines the relationship between executive dysfunction and the clinical and preclinical features of AD in DS. To determine the specificity of this relationship, performance on executive function (EF) measures is contrasted with performance on memory measures. One hundred and three people with DS (mean age 49 years, range 36-72) with mild to moderate learning disabilities (LD) took part. Dementia diagnosis was based on the CAMDEX informant interview conducted with each participant's main carer. Reported changes in personality/behaviour and memory were recorded. Participants completed six EF and six memory measures (two of which also had a strong executive component) and the BPVS (as a measure of general intellectual ability). First, performance was compared between those with and without established dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT), controlling for age and LD severity using ANCOVA. Next, the degree to which informant-reported changes predicted cognitive test performance was examined within the non-DAT group using multiple regression analyses. The DAT group (N=25) showed a consistent pattern of impaired performance relative to the non-DAT group (N=78), across all measures. Within the non-DAT group, number of informant-reported personality/behaviour changes was a significant predictor of performance on two EF and two 'executive memory' tests (but not on episodic memory tests). Informant-reported memory changes, however, were associated with impaired performance on a delayed recall task only. These findings provide further evidence for a specific impairment in frontal-lobe functioning in the preclinical stages of AD in DS. Implications for the assessment, diagnosis, and management of dementia in DS are discussed.

Are individual differences in speech reception related to individual differences in cognitive ability? A survey of twenty experimental studies with normal and hearing-impaired adults

This paper summarizes twenty studies, published since 1989, that have measured experimentally the relationship between speech recognition in noise and some aspect of cognition, using statistical techniques such as correlation or factor analysis. The results demonstrate that there is a link, but it is secondary to the predictive effects of hearing loss, and it is somewhat mixed across study. No one cognitive test always gave a significant result, but measures of working memory (especially reading span) were mostly effective, whereas measures of general ability, such as IQ, were mostly ineffective. Some of the studies included aided listening, and two reported the benefits from aided listening: again mixed results were found, and in some circumstances cognition was a useful predictor of hearing-aid benefit.

COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL ABILITIES OF CHILDREN WITH HIV INFECTION IN GREECE

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to evaluate cognitive and behavioral abilities of HIV-positive children in Greece. METHODS: The cognitive and behavioral abilities of 20 HIV-positive children (B and C status; 8 boys and 12 girls; aged 3–18 years [mean: 11.5 years]) who were vertically infected and were receiving antiretroviral treatment were assessed twice within a 7-year period. Clinical indices (CD4 lymphocyte and viral load counts) were monitored systematically. A detailed developmental assessment was performed for all children twice within a 7-year period. Cognitive abilities were assessed by using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III and Griffiths Mental Abilities Scales. Behavioral abilities were assessed by using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, which provides individual scores for anxiety, emotional tension, conduct, hyperactivity, and social relations with peers and provides an overall index of behavioral difficulties (IBD). Detailed neurologic examination and brain imaging were performed for all children. RESULTS: HIV encephalopathy was evident in 3 children, and 5 of 20 children presented with coexisting diseases (2 neurofibromatosis encephalopathy, 1 brain aneurysm, and 2 autistic disorders). HIV-positive children with normal MRI findings and without signs of HIV encephalopathy scored within the normal range for their chronological age in all measures of general and specific domain cognitive abilities. Low IQ scores showed in 15 of 20 HIV-positive children in both assessments. Factors that were associated consistently with lower scores were positive MRI results, coexistence of an organic disease, maternal education, and gender. The IBD was raised in 7 children. In detail, 9 children had raised IBD scores in emotional tension, 6 seemed to have conduct disorders, 5 had hyperactivity, and 11 presented as having difficulties in social relations with their peers. Factors that were associated significantly and consistently with abnormal IBD scores were lower IQ, positive MRI findings, and coexistence of an organic disease. CONCLUSIONS: Although the sample was small, the findings of our study support the idea that HIV infection places children at increased risk for poor cognitive and behavioral outcomes only if they experience a severe illness of advancing disease stage or a coexisting disease.

Individual differences in the accuracy of detecting social covariations: Ecological sensitivity

Ecological sensitivity refers to the ability to detect covariations in the social environment. The goal of this research was to investigate one operational definition of ecological sensitivity, the ability to observe covariations occurring between group membership and particular behaviors exhibited by group members. A 15-excerpt videotape was devised in which such covariations were scripted into the behavior of the people who were interacting. After watching each excerpt, participants were asked to describe up to three behavioral differences they observed between two groups identified on the answer sheet. Higher ecological sensitivity consisted of recalling a larger number of valid covariations. In three studies, with a total of 279 participants, higher ecological sensitivity was associated with (1) being female, (2) another ecological sensitivity task (accuracy of one’s beliefs about the nature of psychological gender differences), (3) more self-reported attunement to social interaction, (4) greater tolerance for ambiguity and openness to experience, (5) more extraversion, and (6) better psychological adjustment. There was no overall association with several measures of general cognitive ability, cognitive style, and ability to decode nonverbal cues.

G in middle childhood: Moderate genetic and shared environmental influence using diverse measures of general cognitive ability at 7, 9 and 10 years in a large population sample of twins

A 2003 paper in this journal reported results from a large sample of twins assessed at 2, 3 and 4 years of age on parent-administered tests and reports of their verbal and nonverbal ability. We found clear evidence for phenotypic general cognitive ability ( g) that accounted for about 50% of the variance, for modest genetic influence on g (about 25% of the variance), and for substantial shared environmental influence (about 65%). As part of the same longitudinal study, we assessed g at 7 years using telephone-administered tests (4530 pairs), at 9 years using parent-supervised booklets mailed to the homes (2886 pairs), and at 10 years using tests administered online (2348 pairs). Despite very different measurement techniques, consistent evidence was found for phenotypic g accounting for about 50% of the variance. Compared to early childhood, g scores in middle childhood showed stronger genetic influence (about 40%) and more modest shared environmental influence (about 30%). Longitudinal analysis revealed strong genetic correlations ( r = 0.71–0.81) across age and method of administration, with genes (about 65%) and shared environment (about 35%) accounting for stability, while genes, shared environment and non-shared environment all contributed to change.

Validity of General Mental Ability for the Prediction of Job Performance and Training Success in Germany: A meta‐analysis1

A meta‐analysis into the operational validity of general mental ability (GMA) measures in Germany is presented. The meta‐analysis addresses the question whether findings of US and European meta‐analyses are generalizable to Germany given the differences in the education systems of these countries. The high level of differentiation in the German educational system is expected to enhance the homogeneity of applicant pools resulting in a low level of variability in predictor scores which reduces the observed GMA–performance relationships. Our analysis is based on 54 independent German articles and unpublished reports. Results indicated an operational validity of ρ=.467 for training success (k=90; N=11,969) and ρ=.534 for job performance (k=9; N=746). Moderator analyses showed that job complexity and the year of publication are relevant moderator variables, with lower job complexity levels and older studies being associated with higher operational validities. Findings suggest that overall German operational validities are comparable with findings in the United States or other European countries. However, for training success operational GMA validities are slightly lower in Germany compared with US or European meta‐analyses.

The 20-Minute Version as a Predictor of the Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices Test

The Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices Test (APM) is a well-known measure of higher order general mental ability. The time to administer the test, 40 to 60 minutes, is sometimes regarded as a drawback. To meet efficiency needs, the APM can be administered as a 30-or 40-minute timed test, or one of two developed short versions could be used. In this study, the 20-minute timed version of the APM is compared to the untimed APM as a measure of intellectual ability in 1st-year psychology students. This 20-minute timed version proves to be an adequate predictor of the untimed APM score.