Tell Me More About It: A Query into the Relations Between Intelligence Scores and Problem Behaviors Using the WISC-IV

Decades of research have demonstrated links between behavioral adjustment and cognitive ability. However, little attention has been given to examining the relations between behavioral adjustment and IQ utilizing the most recent edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (i.e., WISC-IV). The WISC has undergone substantial revisions designed to produce more reliable and valid intellectual profiles. The release of a new edition provides a unique opportunity to revisit questions about IQ profiles and behavior. Consequently, we compared the relations between behavior problems and the WISC-III or WISC-IV. All 290 child participants were referred by their parent for a psychoeducational assessment due to academic concerns. This was a diverse sample. The majority was from a low-income family. Eighty-eight completed the WISC-III; 202 completed the WISC-IV. We found a number of differences between the WISC-III and WISC-IV in their relation to behavior problems, including significant negative relations between WISC-III IQ scores and adjustment scores that did not hold up with the WISC-IV. This may suggest that the WISC-IV is better than its predecessors at estimating IQ independently of behavior problems, which is important when testing clinically referred children. We also discuss alternate explanations and additional factors to consider.