dr. woocock's evolution of cognitive assessments

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Evolution of the Assessment of Cognitive Functions

July 10, 2008

Richard W. WoodcockUniversity of Southern California

Third National SchoolNeuropsychology Conference

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Main Topics

1. How has our conceptualization of cognitive ability evolved over the past century?

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Main Topics

1. How has our conceptualization of cognitive ability evolved over the past century?

2. How well have intelligence batteries adapted to these changes?

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Main Topics

1. How has our conceptualization of cognitive ability evolved over the past century?

2. How well have intelligence batteries adapted to these changes?

3. What are the next challenges for test developers and users?

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Path of Progress

Better Cognitive

Theory

Better Cognitive

Tests

Better Information

Better Instructionaland Clinical

Planning

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SingleGeneralAbility

Conceptualizations of Intelligence

Evolution of Intelligence TestsEvolution of Intelligence Tests

Single General Ability

SB SB L,M

1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

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SingleGeneralAbility

Pairof

Abilities

Conceptualizations of Intelligence

Evolution of Intelligence TestsEvolution of Intelligence Tests

1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Pair of Abilities WB WISC WAIS WISC-R

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SingleGeneralAbility

Pairof

Abilities

LimitedSet ofBroad

Abilities

Conceptualizations of Intelligence

Evolution of Intelligence TestsEvolution of Intelligence Tests

1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Incomplete Set of Abilities

WJ SB IV

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SingleGeneralAbility

Pairof

Abilities

LimitedSet ofBroad

Abilities

“Complete”Set ofBroad

Abilities

Conceptualizations of Intelligence

Evolution of Intelligence TestsEvolution of Intelligence Tests

1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

“Complete” Set of Broad Abilities

WJ-R

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Nine Broad CHC Factors

Stores of Acquired Knowledge• Comprehension-Knowledge (Gc)• Reading-Writing (Grw)• Mathematics (Gq)

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Comprehension-Knowledge (Gc)

The breadth and depth of knowledge including verbal communication, information, and reasoning when using previously learned procedures.

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Reading-Writing (Grw)

An ability in areas common to both reading and writing. Probably includes basic reading and writing skills, and the skills required for comprehension and expression .

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Quantitative Knowledge (Gq)

The ability to comprehend quantitative concepts and relationships, the facility to manipulate numerical symbols.

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Nine Broad CHC Factors

Stores of Acquired Knowledge• Comprehension-Knowledge (Gc)• Reading-Writing (Grw)• Mathematics (Gq)

Thinking Abilities• Long-Term Retrieval (Glr)• Visual-Spatial Thinking (Gv)• Auditory Processing (Ga)• Fluid Reasoning (Gf)

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Long-Term Retrieval (Glr)

The ability to store information efficiently and retrieve it later.

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Visual-Spatial Thinking (Gv)

Spatial orientation, the ability to analyze and synthesize visual stimuli, and the ability to hold and manipulate mental images.

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Auditory Processing (Ga)

The ability to discriminate, analyze, and synthesize auditory stimuli.

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Fluid Reasoning (Gf)

The ability to reason and solve problems that often involve unfamiliar information or procedures. Manifested in the reorganization, transformation, and extrapolation of information.

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Nine Broad CHC Factors

Stores of Acquired Knowledge• Comprehension-Knowledge (Gc)• Reading-Writing (Grw)• Mathematics (Gq)

Thinking Abilities• Long-Term Retrieval (Glr)• Visual-Spatial Thinking (Gv)• Auditory Processing (Ga)• Fluid Reasoning (Gf)

Cognitive Efficiency• Processing Speed (Gs)• Short-Term Memory (Gsm)

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Processing Speed (Gs)

Speed and efficiency in performing automatic or very simple cognitive tasks.

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Short-Term Memory (Gsm)

The ability to hold information in immediate awareness and then use it within a few seconds.

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SingleGeneralAbility

Pairof

Abilities

LimitedSet ofBroad

Abilities

“Complete”Set ofBroad

Abilities

NarrowAbilities

UnderlyingBroad

Abilities

Conceptualizations of Intelligence

Evolution of Intelligence TestsEvolution of Intelligence Tests

Narrow Abilities Underlying Broad Abilities

WJ III

1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

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Comprehension-Knowledge (Gc)General information (K0)Listening ability (LS)Language development (LD)Lexical knowledge (VL)Language comprehension (V)Oral production and fluency (OP)Information about culture (K2)

Examples of Narrow Abilities

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General (verbal) information (K0)

“Where would you usually find a ___________?”

“What would people usually do with a ______________?”

K0: A Narrow Gc Ability

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Listening ability (LS)

Task:

Listen to a sentence or two and provide an appropriate final word.

LS: A Narrow Gc Ability

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Reading-Writing (Grw)Spelling ability (SG)Cloze ability (CZ)Reading decoding (RD)Reading comprehension (RC)Reading speed (RS)Writing ability (WA)English usage knowledge (EU)

Examples of Narrow Abilities

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Quantitative Knowledge (Gq)

Mathematical achievement (A3)Mathematical knowledge (KM)

Examples of Narrow Abilities

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Long-Term Retrieval (Glr)

Associative memory (MA)Ideational fluency (FI)Naming facility (NA)Meaningful memory (MM)Figural fluency (FF)

Examples of Narrow Abilities

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Ideational fluency (FI)

“How many different vehicles can you name? You will have one minute. Say the names as fast as you can.

FI: A Narrow Glr Ability

(Not actual test item.)

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Naming facility (NA)

“Tell me the names of these pictures as fast as you can.”

NA: A Narrow Glr Ability

(Not actual test items.)

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Auditory Processing (Ga)

Speech-sound discrimination (US)General sound discrimination (U3)Resistance to auditory stimulus distortion (UR)Phonetic coding (PC)Attention and concentration (AC)Maintaining and judging rhythm (U8)Memory for sound patterns (UM)Musical discrimination and judgment (U1, U9)

Examples of Narrow Abilities

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US: A Narrow (Ga) Ability

Speech sound discrimination (US)

(trees) (keys) (peas)

“Point to keys.”

(Not actual test item.)

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PC: A Narrow Ga Ability

Phonetic coding (PC)

/d/ - /o/ - /g/

/b/ - /a/ - /s/ - /k/ - /i/ - /t/

(Not actual test items.)

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Visual-Spatial Thinking (Gv)

Spatial relations (SR)Flexibility of closure (CF)Visualization (Vz)Closure speed (CS)Length estimation (LE)Visual memory (MV)Spatial scanning (SS)

Examples of Narrow Abilities

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Fluid Reasoning (Gf)

General sequential reasoning (RG)Quantitative reasoning (RQ)Induction (I)

Examples of Narrow Abilities

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RG: A Narrow Gf Ability

General sequential reasoning (RG)

4 3 2 ___

36 27 18 ___

14 14 10 6 6 ___

(Not actual test items.)

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Processing Speed (Gs)

Perceptual speed (P)Semantic processing speed (R4)Writing speed (WS)Rate of test taking (R9)Number facility (N)

Examples of Narrow Abilities

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P: A Narrow Gs Ability

Perceptual speed (P)

a e c a d f

bc af st qr af al

srv srw svr swx ssr svr

(Not actual test items.)

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Short-Term Memory (Gsm)Memory span (MS)Working memory (WM)

Examples of Narrow Abilities

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Working memory (WM)

“I am going to name some things and some numbers. After I say them, you say the things in the same order that I said them. Then you tell me the numbers in the same order that I said them.” goat….5….chair….3…..7….rug

WM: A Narrow Gsm Ability

(Not actual test item.)

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Sources of Information

• Expert clinicians

• Expert theoreticians

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Some Cross-Battery References

Alfonso, V., Flanagan, D. & Radwan, S. (2005).  The impact of the Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory on Test Development and Interpretation of Cognitive and Academic Abilities.  In D. P. Flanagan and P. L. Harrison (Eds.) Contemporary Intellectual Assessment:  Theories, Tests and Issues (pp. 185-202).  New York:  Guilford Press.

Flanagan, D., Ortiz, S. & Alfonso, V.  (2007). Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment (Second Edition).  Hoboken, NJ:  John Wiley & Sons.

Flanagan, D. P., Ortiz, S. O., Alfonso, V. C., & Mascolo, J. T. (2002). The achievement test desk reference (ATDR). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

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Some Cross-Battery References

Flanagan, D. P., & McGrew, K. S. (1997). A cross-battery approach to assessing and interpreting cognitive abilities: Narrrowing the gap between practice and science.  In D. P. Flanagan, J. L. Genshaft, & P. L. Harrison (Eds.), Contemporary intellectual assessment:  Theories, tests, and issues  (pp. 314-325). New York: Guilford Press.

McGrew, K. S. (1997). Analysis of the major intelligence batteries according to a proposed comprehensive Gf-Gc framework. In D. P. Flanagan, J. L. Genshaft, & P. L. Harrison (Eds.), Contemporary intellectual assessment:  Theories, tests, and issues (pp. 151-179). New York: Guilford Press.

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Sources of Information

• Expert clinicians

• Expert theoreticians

• Aided by information from factor analysis studies

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Factor Analysis

• Exploratory factor analysis

• Confirmatory factor analysis

• Joint factor analyses

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Some Joint FA Studies

• Woodcock, R. W. (1990). Theoretical foundations of the WJ-R measures of cognitive ability. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 8, 231-258.

• Phelps, L., McGrew, K. S., Knopik, S. N., & Ford, L. (2005). The general (g), broad, and Narrow CHC stratum characteristics of the WJ III and WISC-III tests: A confirmatory cross-battery investigation. School Psychology Quarterly, 20(1), 66-88.

• Sanders, S., McIntosh, D. E., Dunham, M, Rothlisberg, B. A, & Finch, H. (2007). Joint confirmatory factor analysis of the Differential Ability Scales and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities—Third Edition. Psychology in the Schools, 44(2), 119-138.

• Hunt, M. (2007). A joint confirmatory factor analysis of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition, and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Third Edition, with preschool children. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ball State University, Muncie.

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What might your next test battery do?

• Suggest tests based on the referral concern

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What might your next test battery do?

• Suggest tests based on the referral concern

• Seek and integrate qualitative information to present along with test scores

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What might your next test battery do?

• Suggest tests based on the referral concern

• Seek and integrate qualitative information to present along with test scores

• Suggest interventions and compensatory procedures

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Summary

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Better Better BetterCognitive Cognitive Better Instructional Theory Tests Information and Clinical

Planning

Path of Progress

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SingleGeneralAbility

Pairof

Abilities

LimitedSet ofBroad

Abilities

“Complete”Set ofBroad

Abilities

NarrowAbilities

UnderlyingBroad

Abilities

Conceptualizations of Intelligence

Evolution of Intelligence TestsEvolution of Intelligence Tests

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Test batteries of the future will be more informative.

The Good News …

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Test batteries of the future will be more informative.

Test batteries of the future will be more complex as test developers close the gap between cognitive theory and practice.

… the Bad News