[Intelligence quotient and associated facts in children attending school in Medellin, Colombia]. / Coeficiente intelectual y factores asociados en niños escolarizados en la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: Analyzing the IQ and associated factors in school children aged 6 to 8 years old from the northeastern and northwestern districts of Medellin, Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Simple, random, stratified sampling was carried out according to grade, level and commune; the sample consisted of 423 male and female children. The Wechsler intelligence scale (WISCIV) was used for evaluating the children's IQ and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) for evaluating the children's psychosocial stimulation/quality of their home environment. WHO cutoff points were used as reference standards for assessing their nutritional status. RESULTS: The following risk factors explained IQ scores and rates: the parents' academic problems, the siblings' behavioral problems, the mothers' alcoholism during pregnancy and aggressive behavior at home. CONCLUSION: The IQ scores and associated rates for children who attended early school years in the two poorest districts of Medellin were correlated with psychosocial background factors and aggressive behavior at home.

Coeficiente intelectual y factores asociados en niños escolarizados en la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia / Intelligence quotient and associated facts in children attending school in Medellin, Colombia

Objetivo: Analizar el coeficiente intelectual y los factores asociados en niños escolarizados de 6 a 8 años en las comunas Nororiental y Norocidental de la ciudad de Medellín-Colombia. Materiales y Métodos: Se realizó un muestreo aleatorio simple, polietápico y estratificado según grado escolar y comuna, la muestra estuvo constituida por 423 niños de ambos sexos. El coeficiente intelectual se evaluó con la Escala de Inteligencia Wechsler para Niños WISCIV y la estimulación psicosocial con Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). Para la valoración del estado nutricional se utilizó las normas de referencia y puntos de corte de la OMS. Resultados: Los factores de riesgo que explican las puntuaciones en el Coeficiente Intelectual Total y sus índices fueron: Historia de problemas académicos de la madre y padre e historia de problemas de comportamiento de los hermanos, alcoholismo de la madre durante el embarazo y conductas agresivas en el hogar. Conclusión: En los niños que cursan los primeros años de escolaridad en las dos comunas más pobres de Medellín, el coeficiente intelectual y sus índices se encuentra correlacionado con factores de antecedencia psicosocial y conductas agresivas en el hogar.

Objective: Analyzing the IQ and associated factors in school children aged 6 to 8 years old from the northeastern and northwestern districts of Medellin, Colombia. Materials and Methods: Simple, random, stratified sampling was carried out according to grade, level and commune; the sample consisted of 423 male and female children. The Wechsler intelligence scale (WISCIV) was used for evaluating the children’s IQ and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) for evaluating the children’s psychosocial stimulation/quality of their home environment. WHO cutoff points were used as reference standards for assessing their nutritional status. Results: The following risk factors explained IQ scores and rates: the parents’ academic problems, the siblings’ behavioral problems, the mothers’ alcoholism during pregnancy and aggressive behavior at home. Conclusion: The IQ scores and associated rates for children who attended early school years in the two poorest districts of Medellin were correlated with psychosocial background factors and aggressive behavior at home.