Intelligence Quotient

Historically, an individual’s intelligence quotient (IQ) was calculated by taking the individual’s “mental age” divided by the chronological age and multiplied by 100. An individual’s IQ is now derived through advanced statistical analysis of how that individual performs on multiple aspects of intelligence tests, such as verbal comprehension, visual–spatial ability, working memory, fluid reasoning, and processing speed. Namely, psychologists discussing IQ are now usually referring to the overall intelligence scores but not to an actual IQ.

Knowing an individual’s Full Scale IQ (or estimate of individual’s overall intelligence) contributes to the evaluation of giftedness, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, traumatic brain injury, and learning disabilities. Furthermore, IQ is often found to be the strongest predictor of academic achievement, suggesting it should be considered in ...

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