Comparison of two nonverbal intelligence tests among children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
Leiter-R and DAS-II match on average in deaf preschoolers, but one in four kids shows a big swing—so use both tests.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team tested 30 deaf or hard-of-hearing kids . Each child took two nonverbal IQ tests: the Leiter-R and the DAS-II. They wanted to see if the two tests gave the same score.
They used standard test-giving rules. All kids had hearing loss. None had other major disabilities.
What they found
On average, the two tests gave the same IQ number. The difference was tiny and not meaningful.
But one in four kids showed a big gap. Some scored much higher on Leiter-R. Others scored much higher on DAS-II. These swings matter for school placement.
How this fits with other research
Papadopoulos et al. (2013) found the opposite pattern in kids with autism. They saw a 21-point gap favoring Leiter-R over SB5. The new study shows no gap in deaf kids. The key is the group being tested.
Balboni et al. (2014) and Wuang et al. (2009) both used advanced math to check test quality. They remind us that even good tools can give different answers for one child.
Together, these papers say: always check more than one test. One score is not enough.
Why it matters
If you test a deaf preschooler, give both Leiter-R and DAS-II. Look at both scores. If they differ by more than 10 points, collect more data before making placement choices. This simple step prevents mislabeling a child.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The primary goal of the current study is to evaluate the concurrent validity of the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised (Leiter-R Brief IQ) and Differential Ability Scales - Second Edition (DAS-II Nonverbal Reasoning Index) in a group of children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Knowing the breadth of cognitive tools appropriate for use in children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing is highly beneficial, given that clinical and school psychologists are often challenged to reliably assess cognitive functions in the context of hearing loss. Participants included 54 children between three and six years of age with permanent bilateral hearing loss. As part of the study, neurocognitive assessments were conducted by a pediatric neuropsychologist or licensed clinical psychologist with extensive experience administering assessments to children with developmental disabilities, including children with hearing loss. The Leiter-R Brief IQ score was similar to the DAS-II nonverbal reasoning index, with no significant difference in the mean scores across the two assessments. The severity of hearing loss was not correlated to either the Leiter-R or the DAS-II nonverbal IQ. Nearly a quarter of the children evaluated had meaningful intra-individual differences between scores on the Leiter-R and DAS-II that were more than one standard deviation from one another. Conducting accurate intellectual assessments in children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing is fundamental in determining and designing interventions and educational services. More comprehensive neuropsychological test batteries utilizing several tasks to assess a single domain (such as nonverbal reasoning) may be warranted for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2014 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.11.020