Comparison of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test and the Matrix AnalogiesTest - Shore form in an adolescent forensic population

The Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT; A. S. Kaufman & N. L. Kaufman, 1 990) was compared with the Matrix Analogies Test-Short Form (MAT-SF; J. Nag lieri, 1985) in a sample of 126 participants aged less than 18 years, in ju venile justice centers. Mean scores were low for both tests, although the M AT-SF mean percentile rank was significantly lower than the KBIT. No signif icant gender, or Aboriginal/non-Aboriginal differences were noted. Neverthe less, the lowest correlation was between KBIT Vocabulary and MAT-SF, indica ting that administering a test of verbal ability may enhance the predictive usefulness of the MAT-SF. More of the sample fell into the lowest 3% of th e population on the MAT-SF (35%), compared with the KBIT (20%); thus, the f ormer tests may categorize more individuals in custody as needing special e ducational assistance, a finding which has resource implications for juveni le justice institutions.