Dp. Flanagan et Vc. Alfonso, A CRITICAL-REVIEW OF THE TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF NEW AND RECENTLY REVISED INTELLIGENCE-TESTS FOR PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN, Journal of psychoeducational assessment, 13(1), 1995, pp. 66-90
This paper examined the psychometric properties of intelligence tests
for preschoolers, including standardization, reliability, test floors,
item gradients, and validity. The WPPSI-R, DAS, S-B:IV, WJ-R COG, and
BSID-II were reviewed. The psychometric properties of these instrumen
ts are weakest at the lower end of the preschool age range (i.e., 2-6
to 3-6), a finding that is consistent with previous research. The WJ-R
COG and BSID-II are among the better instruments for use with very yo
ung children because they were rated as technically adequate across mo
st criteria. The psychometric properties were strongest for most instr
uments at the middle (i.e., 3-6 to 4-6) and upper (i.e., 4-6 to 5-6) l
evels of the preschool age range. Because all intelligence tests have
different strengths and limitations, the technical characteristics of
these tests should be considered carefully before one selects an instr
ument for use with preschoolers. Future research should examine the ro
le of intelligence within a framework of developing abilities in young
children, so that its relevance in early educational interventions, a
s well as diagnosis and classification of preschoolers, can be realize
d.