The Intellectual Screening Scale of the Personality Inventory for Children: Dangers in the Application of Constricted Constructs

The Intellectual Screening Scale (ISS) of the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC) is clinically useful in screening for intellectual deficit. However, when administered to a group of children referred for evaluation because of concerns about speech delay, the ISS was found to underestimate scores on psychometric tests of intelligence. The findings are consistent with conceptualizations of intelligence as multifactorial construct including, at least, verbal and nonverbal components. While these results may disqualify the ISS for use with nonverbal individuals, it likely remains a valid instrument for measuring a personality trait that could be called observed intelligent behavior of a vocally mediated nature. The findings seem to call for greater sophistication and caution in the scientific use and clinical application of labels and constructs about cognitive functions. This article is from 'Proceedings of the AMEDD (Army Medical Department) Clinical Psychology Short Course: Military Applications of Neuropsychology and Health Psychology Held in Presido of San Francisco, California on 9-13 March 1987. Volume 1,' AD-A184 008, p3-13.