Cross-National Generalizability of WISC-V and CHC Broad Ability Constructs across France, Spain, and the US.

The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model is based on psychometric cognitive ability research and is the most empirically supported model of cognitive ability constructs. This study is one in a series of cross-national comparisons investigating the equivalence and generalizability of psychological constructs which align with the CHC model. Previous research exploring the cross-cultural generalizability of cognitive ability measures concluded that the factor analytic models of cognitive abilities generalize across cultures and are compatible with well-established CHC constructs. The equivalence of the psychological constructs, as measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V), has been established across English-speaking samples. However, few studies have explored the equivalence of psychological constructs across non-English speaking, nationally representative samples. This study explored the equivalence of the WISC-V five-factor model across standardization samples from France, Spain, and the US. The five-factor scoring model demonstrated excellent fit across the three samples independently. Factorial invariance was investigated and the results demonstrated strict factorial invariance across France, Spain, and the US. The results provide further support for the generalizability of CHC constructs across Western cultural populations that speak different languages and support the continued use and development of the CHC model as a common nomenclature and blueprint for cognitive ability researchers and test developers. Suggestions for future research on the CHC model of intelligence are discussed.

Measurement invariance of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children, fifth edition, in Australian and New Zealand and U.S. standardization samples.

Measurement invariance underlies construct validity generalization in psychology and must be demonstrated prior to any cross-population comparison of means and validity correlations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the measurement invariance of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V) across Australia and New Zealand (A&NZ) versus the U.S. normative samples. The WISC-V is the most widely used assessment of intelligence in children. Participants were census matched, nationally representative samples from A&NZ (n = 528) and the United States (n = 2,200) who completed the WISC-V standardization version. Baseline model estimation was conducted to ensure the same model showed acceptable fit in both samples separately. Measurement invariance was then examined across A&NZ and United States. The five-factor scoring model described in the test manual showed excellent fit in both samples. Results showed that the WISC-V demonstrated strict metric measurement invariance across the A&NZ and U.S. samples. Further, the results were consistent with the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) framework of cognitive abilities, indicating the generalizability of cognitive abilities across cultures. Small but significant differences in visual spatial latent means were found across females, highlighting the importance of local normative data. These findings suggest that the WISC-V scores can be meaningfully compared across A&NZ and United States and that the constructs, which align with CHC theory, and associated construct validity research, generalize across countries. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Construct identification in the neuropsychological battery: What are we measuring?

OBJECTIVE: Major obstacles to data harmonization in neuropsychology include lack of consensus about what constructs and tests are most important and invariant across healthy and clinical populations. This study addressed these challenges using data from the National Neuropsychology Network (NNN). METHOD: Data were obtained from 5,000 NNN participants and Pearson standardization samples. Analyses included variables from four instruments: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 4th Edition (WAIS-IV); Wechsler Memory Scale, 4th Edition (WMS-IV); California Verbal Learning Test, 3rd Edition (CVLT3); and Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). We used confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate models suggested by prior work and examined fit statistics and measurement invariance across samples. We examined relations of factor scores to demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: For each instrument, we identified four first-order and one second-order factor. Optimal models in patients generally paralleled the best-fitting models in the standardization samples, including task-specific factors. Analysis of the NNN data prompted specification of a Recognition-Familiarity factor on the WMS-IV and an Inhibition-Switching factor on the D-KEFS. Analyses showed strong to strict factorial invariance across samples with expected differences in factor means and variances. The Recognition-Familiarity factor correlated with age more strongly in NNN than in the standardization sample. CONCLUSIONS: Factor models derived from healthy groups generally fit well in patients. NNN data helped identify novel Recognition-Familiarity and Inhibition-Switching factors that were also invariant across samples and may be clinically useful. The findings support efforts to identify evidence-based and optimally efficient measurements of neuropsychological constructs that are valid across groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessment of Executive Function in Infants and Toddlers: A Potential Role of the Bayley-4.

OBJECTIVE: The development of executive function (EF) in infants and toddlers has received increased interest by clinicians and researchers. Higher rates of deficits in EF have been reported in at-risk groups of infants such as those born extremely preterm. These deficits play an important role in the etiology of early neurodevelopmental problems and are predictive of subsequent nonoptimal educational outcomes. In this study, the Bayley-4 is used to follow the developmental course of EF and to determine whether EF is a unitary concept or can be parsed into discrete components over the first 42 months. METHOD: All 81 cognitive items from the Bayley-4 normative sample of 1700 infants and toddlers were classified a priori into 6 EFs, and then, 5 age groups derived from Bayley-4 start points were factor analyzed to determine at what age EFs emerge and to address the controversy of whether the factor structure of the cognitive items for each of 5 age groups reflect a single factor or multiple factors. RESULTS: Bayley-4 items form 1 to 5 EF factors for each age group, accounting for 59% to 74% of the variance. There is a developmental progression in EF as well. The results indicate EF constructs can be identified early. CONCLUSION: Executive function tasks in infants and toddlers are interrelated with task content either remaining the same or changing with advancing age (i.e., content that is homotypic or heterotypic, respectively). EFs measured by Bayley-4 items are useful clinically and become more complex with increasing age, corresponding to more advanced brain development and integration. The findings have the potential of providing additional information in the assessment of infants at risk such as those born preterm.

The effect of demographic variables on the assessment of cognitive ability / El efecto de las variables demográficas en la evaluación de la aptitud cognitiva

Background: This study examines the effect of parental educational levels, sex, and family structure on the WISC-V Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) and primary index scores (VCI, VSI, FRI, WMI, and PSI) in a representative sample of children from Spain (N = 1008). Method: Differences between demographic groups were examined using independent-samples t-test, ANOVA and Hochberg post hoc tests. A multiple regression analysis was performed to examine whether demographic variables could predict children's FSIQ score. Results: Results showed that the parents' educational level was a significant predictor of children's FSIQ and significant increases in mean FSIQ and primary index scores were found as the parents' educational level increased. Sex was not a significant predictor of children's FSIQ but slight sex differences were found for PSI. The family structure was a significant predictor of FSIQ but its contribution to the global model was small. Children from two-parent families obtained higher FSIQ, VCI, VSI, and FRI mean scores than children from single parent families. Conclusions: The results support the design of a normative sample stratified by demographic variables. Parental education levels, as a good predictor of children's FSIQ score, must be taken into account as a key stratification variable (AU)

Antecedentes: este estudio examina el efecto del nivel educativo parental, el sexo y la estructura familiar sobre el CI total (CIT) y los índices primarios del WISC-V en una muestra representativa de niños españoles (N = 1008). Método: las diferencias entre grupos demográficos se examinaron mediante pruebas t, ANOVA y tests post hoc de Hochberg. Se realizó un análisis de regresión múltiple para examinar si las variables demográficas podían predecir la puntuación CIT de los niños. Resultados: los resultados mostraron que el nivel educativo parental era un predictor significativo, se observaron incrementos significativos en las puntuaciones del CIT y de los índices conforme se incrementaba el nivel educativo parental. El sexo no fue un predictor significativo, pero se observaron ligeras diferencias en el índice de velocidad de procesamiento. La estructura familiar fue un predictor significativo, pero su contribución al modelo general fue pequeña. Los niños de familias biparentales obtuvieron puntuaciones superiores en el CIT y los índices a las de los niños de familias monoparentales. Conclusiones: los resultados apoyan el diseño de muestras normativas estratificadas por variables demográficas. El nivel educativo parental es un buen predictor del CIT de los niños y debe considerarse una variable de estratificación relevante (AU)

The effect of demographic variables on the assessment of cognitive ability.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the effect of parental educational levels, sex, and family structure on the WISC-V Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) and primary index scores (VCI, VSI, FRI, WMI, and PSI) in a representative sample of children from Spain ( N = 1008). METHOD: Differences between demographic groups were examined using independent-samples t-test , ANOVA and Hochberg post hoc tests. A multiple regression analysis was performed to examine whether demographic variables could predict children’s FSIQ score. RESULTS: Results showed that the parents’ educational level was a significant predictor of children’s FSIQ and significant increases in mean FSIQ and primary index scores were found as the parents’ educational level increased. Sex was not a significant predictor of children’s FSIQ but slight sex differences were found for PSI. The family structure was a significant predictor of FSIQ but its contribution to the global model was small. Children from two-parent families obtained higher FSIQ, VCI, VSI, and FRI mean scores than children from single parent families. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the design of a normative sample stratified by demographic variables. Parental education levels, as a good predictor of children’s FSIQ score, must be taken into account as a key stratification variable.