The relationship between the Jouve-Cerebrals Crystallized Educational Scale (JCCES) and the two-subtest verbal part of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scale (RIAS) has been analyzed in order to investigate the criterion-related validity of the JCCES. 125 examinees have participated. In this first part of the study, a principal components factor analysis conducted on the three subtests of the JCCES and the two subtests of the RIAS revealed very high loadings on Gc of every measures (ranged from .72 to .88). A quantitative knowledge – reasoning factor was found on a two-factor solution in which the Mathematical Problems of the JCCES showed strong loading (.95). Moreover, the verbal analogies of the JCCES and those of the RIAS were seen to be moderately saturated by this factor (.44 and .43 respectively).
“The RIAS is an individually administered test of intelligence appropriate for ages 3 through 94 years, which includes a co-normed, supplemental measure of memory. The RIAS includes a two-subtest Verbal Intelligence Index (VIX), a two-subtest Nonverbal Intelligence Index (NIX), and a Composite Intelligence Index (CIX). The VIX assesses verbal intelligence by measuring verbal problem solving and verbal reasoning where acquired knowledge and skills are important. Administration of the four intelligence subtests by a trained, experienced examiner requires approximately 20 to 25 minutes”. (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2003)
Reliability of scores yielded by the RIAS is seen as excellent with Cronbach’s alphas ranged from .90 to .94 for the subtests, and from .94 to .96 for the Indexes (N = 2,438). The subtests’ raw scores are converted to age-referenced T-scores (M = 50; SD = 10). Then, these T-scores are summed in order to obtain the indexes by comparison with the manual norm tables. The RIAS indexes use the same metric than most of the contemporary cognitive ability batteries, with a mean of 100 and 15 points per standard deviation. This makes them relatively comparable to IQ or other indexes from the Wechsler’s scales or the most recent Stanford-Binet revisions. According to Reynolds & Kamphaus, the RIAS VIX correlated at .86 and at .78 with the WISC-III VIQ and FSIQ respectively (N = 54). These authors also reported correlations of .71 and .70 between the VIX and both the VIQ and the FSIQ (N = 31). In both the WISC and the WAIS samples, the means and SDs of the VIX are respectively lower and tighter than those of the Wechsler’s scales. The significantly lower correlations observed in adults between the VIX and the WAIS IQs could be a relative consequence of unexpected answers to verbal problems. Although the keys given by the manual are fairly appropriate in adolescents even in gifted subjects, these expected solutions could appear insufficient in gifted adults, requiring the examiner to perform researches. The authors encourage psychologists who are used to administer the RIAS to consult reference materials to decide on the scoring of unusual responses.
Participants. The sample of participants consisted in 125 individuals. Of these, 42 (33.6%) were females, 83 (66.4%) were males and 100 (80%) of them indicated to have completed at least one college degree. The average age of the sample was 33.54 (SD = 12.53).
Factor analysis. Factor analysis is a common method of examining the patterns of relationships among a set of variables and is a widely used analytical approach in order to evaluate the existence and the structure of any latent constructs among a set of items, or tests (Cronbach, 1990; Kamphaus, 2001). For exploring the presence of latent traits among the JCCES and the RIAS verbal subtests, the method of principal components was chosen, with a varimax rotation (Kaiser’s normalization) for interpreting the results. The first unrotated factor has an engeinvalue of 3.60 and accounted for 71.90% of trace. This trait is usually interpreted as g by researchers. However, the nature of any latent trait is determined by the nature of the clusters involved in the study. In this analysis, variables only represent cognitive abilities that are related to knowledge and its usage. Consequently, this general factor is believed to be an enlightenment of general crystallized intelligence, i.e. Gc, rather than pure g. Loadings on Gc were all very similar for verbal measures and ranged from .87 to .88. The only variable to show a lower saturation was the Mathematical Problems (MP) subtest of the JCCES at .72. However, this value is high. A two factors solution was then investigated. The second factor accounted for 12.07% of the trace and its engeinvalue was .60. As can be seen in Table 1, in this solution the first factor could be reasonably interpreted as language development (LD). The two subtests, General Knowledge (GK; .89) and Guess What (GWH; .90), which are prepared with information content are the more loaded. The second factor, very strongly appearing in the MP questionnaire (.95), could possibly be seen as quantitative knowledge, but with a significant relationship to reasoning. In fact, the verbal analogies loaded at .44 and .43 on this factor.
Xavier Jouve
Xavier Jouve, Ph.D. is a former psychometrician, author of the Epreuve de Performance Cognitive (EPC), a test published by the Editions du Centre de Psychologie Appliquée (Paris), the French branch of Pearson Education, Inc. Among others, he is a member of the Psychometric Society. Expertise: test development, cognitive abilities, giftedness, verbal reasoning, numerical culture fair sequences, IRT, MDS
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