Cognitive Testing and Binet's Revolution

Cognitive Testing

• Used to understand learning difficulties, predict occupational success, provide vocational guidance, determine access to funding, assess the extent of brain injury or response to intervention, and assist with diagnoses such as intellectual disability, specific learning disorder, and language disorder

Binet’s Revolution

• Developed the Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale. This was the first successful intelligence test.
• Removed subjectivity from the practice of establishing level of cognitive functioning.
• Developed tests of increasing difficulty to be administered under controlled conditions.
• This performance-based assessment method remains largely unchanged today.

Modern Cognitive Ability Assessment

• Cognitive ability is best measured under conditions that produce maximal performance.
• "We want a pure measure, one that is determined almost wholly by one thing, the subject’s capacity, rather than a measure which is affected by several influences" - Fiske & Butler (1963, p. 253)

Cognitive Testing

• Cognitive testing provides test scores indicating the level of functioning in cognitive constructs measured (e.g., processing speed).
• Provides an opportunity for important behavioral observations of the client.

Assessment of Processing Speed

• Processing speed - the ability to perform simple cognitive tasks quickly and fluently

Calculating Test Age

• Work from right to left
• If the top number under Day is smaller than the bottom number you need to add a month (i.e., 30 days) to the top number and then take away 1 month from the top number in the month column.
• If the top number under Month is smaller than the bottom number you need to add a year (i.e., 12 months) to the top number and then take away 1 year from the top number in the year column.
• Then subtract the bottom number from the top number in each column to get the client’s test age.

Converting Raw Scores to Scaled Scores

• Use Table A.1 Scaled Score Equivalents of Total Raw Scores for Subtests, by Age Group.

Step 4: Record Sum of Scales Scores

• Record sum of scales scores in ‘Sum of Scaled Scores to Composite Score Conversion’ table

Step 5: Convert Sum of Scaled Scores to Composite Scores

• Convert sum of scaled scores to composite scores using Tables A.3 to A.7.
• Record PR and 90% CI also.

Step 6: Transfer Subtest Scales Scores

• Transfer subtest scales scores to ‘Subtest Scaled Score Profile’ and plot results.

Step 7: Transfer Composite Scores

• Transfer composite scores to ‘Composite Score Profile’ and plot results.
• Include CI.

Step 8: Discrepancy Analysis

• Transfer composite scores to ‘Discrepancy Analysis’ table.
• Calculate difference.
• Use Table B.1 to find critical value for differences between index scores at p <.05.
• Record in ‘Critical Value’ column.
• If difference is larger than critical value, circle “Y” in ‘Significant Difference’ column. If not, circle “No”.

Step 9: Determine Base Rate of Significant Differences

• Use Table B.2 for an overall sample.
• Index score differences that exist in less than 10% of the population are generally considered unusual.

Step 10: Determining Strengths and Weaknesses

• Transfer subtest scaled scores to ‘Determining Strengths and Weaknesses’ table.
• Record mean of 10 core subtests.
• Calculate difference scores.
• Use Table B.5 to find critical value for difference scores at p <.05.
• Record in ‘Critical Value’ column.

Essay Composition

• Participant writes a paragraph or letter to the editor.
• There is a time limit.
• Response is scored based on organisation, grammar and mechanics.
• WJ-IV Ach similar task = Writing Samples

Math Problem Solving

• Participant solves problems presented visually.
• They may use a pencil and paper to aid problem solving if needed.
• WJ-IV Ach similar task = Applied Problems

Numeric Operations

• Participant solves numeric mathematical problems with a pencil and paper, which gradually increase in difficulty.
• The task is untimed.
• WJ-IV Ach similar task = Calculation

Math Fluency – Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication

• Measures speed and accuracy of participant’s math calculations – separate tests for addition, multiplication and subtraction.
• Participant solves as many sums as they can in a 60 second time limit.
• WJ-IV Ach similar task = Math Facts Fluency

Listening Comprehension

• Participant is given a word or sentence and asked to point to which picture corresponds with that word or sentence.
• WJ-IV Ach similar task = Oral Reading

Oral Expression

• Depending on age, participant engages in word naming, repeats sentences, and/or says the word that best corresponds to a picture
• WJ-IV Ach similar task = No equivalent test.

Explore the evolution of cognitive testing, from Binet's groundbreaking work with the Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale to modern assessment methods. This quiz covers the significance of cognitive ability measurement in diagnosing learning disorders and evaluating occupational success.