PerceptttalandMoforSkills, 1990, 70, 12-14. O Perceptual and Motor Skills 1990
COMPARISON O F T H E TEST O F NONVERBAL INTELLIGENCE A N D WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALE FOR CHILDREN-REVISED I N RURAL NATIVE AMERICAN A N D W H I T E CHILDREN JAMES E. WHORTON
ROBERT L. MORGAN
University of Southern Mississippi
Minot State Universio
Summary.-The Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) were administered to 46 Native American and white students who were suspected by their classroom teachers of having learning handicaps. Pearson correlations between these sets of IQs ranged from .42 (TONI and WISC-R Performance) to .89 (WISC-R Verbal and F d Scale).
The search for valid measures of intelligence which are not heavily based on the individual's cultural or language background is compounded by the limited availability of technically sound instruments. Swanson and Watson (1982) outlined several criteria which should be met before an instrument may be classified as culturally fair, including predictive validity across cultures or populations, minimized use of language or reading, representation reflective of the target population in the norming sample, nonpenalization by time factors, subjects given opportunity to learn the presented material, and content of the items familiar to all groups. In addition to the difficulties associated with identifying instruments which meet such criteria, there is a need to identify instruments which provide quick and easy administration. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) (Wechsler, 1974) has been suggested as a valid measure of cognitive ability for culturally different children (Sattler, 1988). Yet, depending on the background of the child, the disparity between verbal and performance scores may be as high as 25 to 30 points (Sattler, 1988). Indeed, even many of the performance items of the WISC-R do not meet the criteria mentioned by Swanson and Watson (1982). One instrument which as been suggested as having both technical merit and being easy to use is the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI) (Brown, Sherbenou, & Dollar, 1982). This test is represented by its authors as a "language-free" measure of cognitive ability. The authors also suggest the TONI provides a valid measure of abdity for culturally different individuals. In fact, the administrator of the instrument is asked to utilize gestures and -
--
-
-
'Address correspondence to James. E. Whorton, Ed.D., Department of Special Education, University of Southern Mississippi, Southern Station, Box 5115, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5115.
INTELLIGENCE: VALID, NONVERBAL MEASURES
13
facial expressions rather than verbalization when presenting stimuli. The subject is asked to select the abstract drawing which best matches the empty square in the test stimulus. To evaluate the test's effectiveness with rural Native American and w h t e children, the current study was conducted. Performance of the two groups were compared on both the WISC-R and TONI.
The subjects were 46 students (28 boys, 18 girls) who were referred for psychological testing by their regular classroom teachers. The mean CA was 11.4 yr. with a standard deviation of 2.9 yr. (minimum 5.5, maximum 16.7). Seventeen of the students were Native American, while the remaining subjects were white. The subjects represented nine school districts belonging to a large rural cooperative (20,000 square miles, approximately 3,000 students). Six of the school districts were situated on one of two Indian reservations, while the remaining districts were in close proximity. AU of the referrals were made during the 1988-89 school year. Each student was suspected by their teacher of exhibiting a learning handicap. As part of the evaluation battery, the WISC-R was administered to all subjects in the standardized format. As Sattler (1988) suggested, the WISC-R was uthzed as it provides a reliable and stable assessment of minority children. Subsequent to administration of the WISC-R, the TONI was administered in the format suggested by its authors. All testing was completed by a certified psychological examiner.
Data were analyzed using SPSSX (1983) subprograms CONDESCRIPTIVE, FREQUENCIES, PEARSON CORR, and T-TEST. The test score means and standard deviations are reported in Table 1. Pearson correlations ranged from a low of .42 (TONI and WISC-R Performance IQ) to a high of .89 (WISC-R Verbal and Full Scale IQs). In each instance the coefficients were significant at the .002 level or greater. The coefficients between the TONI and the WISC-R Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs were .68, .42, and .48, respectively. To ascertain whether these groups differed significantly on the test scores, t ratios were computed. The degrees of freedom for each value was 44; t ratios ranged from - .44 to 1.95. None were significantly significant. For this group of subjects, the TONI and WISC-R appear to measure somewhat similar abilities, although the correlation coefficients are only in the moderate range, perhaps because ns were small. The TONI seems potentially useful; this should be ascertained by replication, testing larger numbers of children.
14
J. E. WHORTON
& R. L. MORGAN
TABLE 1 MEANSAND STANDARD DEVIATIONS OF IQs FOR46 NATIVEAMERICAN A N D WHITE STUDENTS ONTHE TESTOF NONVERBAL INTELLIGENCE AND WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALEFORC~DREN-REVISED Inscrumenc
n
M
SD
Range
TONI Native American White Total WISC-R Verbal Native American White Total Performance Native American White Total Full Scale Nacive American White Total REFERENCES BROWN,L.,SHERBENOU, R. J., & DOLLAR,S. J. (1982) Test of Nonverbal Intelligence. Austin, TX: Pro-ed. SATTLER, J. M. (1988) Assessment of children. (3rd ed., Rev. ed.) San Diego, CA: Author. SPSS, INC.(1983) SPSS user'r gziide. New York: McGraw-Hill. SWANSON, H. L., & WATSON,B. L. (1982) Edtrcational and psychologicaI assessment of exceptional children. St. Louis, MO: C. V. Mosby. WECHSLER, D. (1974) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, New York: Psychological Corp.
Accepted ]anttory 24, 1990.
COMPARISON O F T H E TEST O F NONVERBAL INTELLIGENCE A N D WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALE FOR CHILDREN-REVISED I N RURAL NATIVE AMERICAN A N D W H I T E CHILDREN JAMES E. WHORTON
ROBERT L. MORGAN
University of Southern Mississippi
Minot State Universio
Summary.-The Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) were administered to 46 Native American and white students who were suspected by their classroom teachers of having learning handicaps. Pearson correlations between these sets of IQs ranged from .42 (TONI and WISC-R Performance) to .89 (WISC-R Verbal and F d Scale).
The search for valid measures of intelligence which are not heavily based on the individual's cultural or language background is compounded by the limited availability of technically sound instruments. Swanson and Watson (1982) outlined several criteria which should be met before an instrument may be classified as culturally fair, including predictive validity across cultures or populations, minimized use of language or reading, representation reflective of the target population in the norming sample, nonpenalization by time factors, subjects given opportunity to learn the presented material, and content of the items familiar to all groups. In addition to the difficulties associated with identifying instruments which meet such criteria, there is a need to identify instruments which provide quick and easy administration. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) (Wechsler, 1974) has been suggested as a valid measure of cognitive ability for culturally different children (Sattler, 1988). Yet, depending on the background of the child, the disparity between verbal and performance scores may be as high as 25 to 30 points (Sattler, 1988). Indeed, even many of the performance items of the WISC-R do not meet the criteria mentioned by Swanson and Watson (1982). One instrument which as been suggested as having both technical merit and being easy to use is the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI) (Brown, Sherbenou, & Dollar, 1982). This test is represented by its authors as a "language-free" measure of cognitive ability. The authors also suggest the TONI provides a valid measure of abdity for culturally different individuals. In fact, the administrator of the instrument is asked to utilize gestures and -
--
-
-
'Address correspondence to James. E. Whorton, Ed.D., Department of Special Education, University of Southern Mississippi, Southern Station, Box 5115, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5115.
INTELLIGENCE: VALID, NONVERBAL MEASURES
13
facial expressions rather than verbalization when presenting stimuli. The subject is asked to select the abstract drawing which best matches the empty square in the test stimulus. To evaluate the test's effectiveness with rural Native American and w h t e children, the current study was conducted. Performance of the two groups were compared on both the WISC-R and TONI.
The subjects were 46 students (28 boys, 18 girls) who were referred for psychological testing by their regular classroom teachers. The mean CA was 11.4 yr. with a standard deviation of 2.9 yr. (minimum 5.5, maximum 16.7). Seventeen of the students were Native American, while the remaining subjects were white. The subjects represented nine school districts belonging to a large rural cooperative (20,000 square miles, approximately 3,000 students). Six of the school districts were situated on one of two Indian reservations, while the remaining districts were in close proximity. AU of the referrals were made during the 1988-89 school year. Each student was suspected by their teacher of exhibiting a learning handicap. As part of the evaluation battery, the WISC-R was administered to all subjects in the standardized format. As Sattler (1988) suggested, the WISC-R was uthzed as it provides a reliable and stable assessment of minority children. Subsequent to administration of the WISC-R, the TONI was administered in the format suggested by its authors. All testing was completed by a certified psychological examiner.
Data were analyzed using SPSSX (1983) subprograms CONDESCRIPTIVE, FREQUENCIES, PEARSON CORR, and T-TEST. The test score means and standard deviations are reported in Table 1. Pearson correlations ranged from a low of .42 (TONI and WISC-R Performance IQ) to a high of .89 (WISC-R Verbal and Full Scale IQs). In each instance the coefficients were significant at the .002 level or greater. The coefficients between the TONI and the WISC-R Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs were .68, .42, and .48, respectively. To ascertain whether these groups differed significantly on the test scores, t ratios were computed. The degrees of freedom for each value was 44; t ratios ranged from - .44 to 1.95. None were significantly significant. For this group of subjects, the TONI and WISC-R appear to measure somewhat similar abilities, although the correlation coefficients are only in the moderate range, perhaps because ns were small. The TONI seems potentially useful; this should be ascertained by replication, testing larger numbers of children.
14
J. E. WHORTON
& R. L. MORGAN
TABLE 1 MEANSAND STANDARD DEVIATIONS OF IQs FOR46 NATIVEAMERICAN A N D WHITE STUDENTS ONTHE TESTOF NONVERBAL INTELLIGENCE AND WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALEFORC~DREN-REVISED Inscrumenc
n
M
SD
Range
TONI Native American White Total WISC-R Verbal Native American White Total Performance Native American White Total Full Scale Nacive American White Total REFERENCES BROWN,L.,SHERBENOU, R. J., & DOLLAR,S. J. (1982) Test of Nonverbal Intelligence. Austin, TX: Pro-ed. SATTLER, J. M. (1988) Assessment of children. (3rd ed., Rev. ed.) San Diego, CA: Author. SPSS, INC.(1983) SPSS user'r gziide. New York: McGraw-Hill. SWANSON, H. L., & WATSON,B. L. (1982) Edtrcational and psychologicaI assessment of exceptional children. St. Louis, MO: C. V. Mosby. WECHSLER, D. (1974) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, New York: Psychological Corp.
Accepted ]anttory 24, 1990.
