Monte Carlo Modeling of Contemporary Intelligence Test (IQ) Factor Structure: Implications for IQ Assessment, Interpretation, and Theory

Abstract

Researchers continue to debate the constructs measured by commercial ability tests. Factor analytic investigations of these measures have been used to develop and refine widely adopted psychometric theories of intelligence particularly the Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) model. Even so, this linkage may be problematic as many of these investigations examine a particular instrument in isolation and CHC model specification across tests and research teams has not been consistent. To address these concerns, the present study used Monte Carlo resampling to investigate the latent structure of four of the most widely used intelligence tests for children and adolescents. The results located the approximate existence of the publisher posited CHC theoretical group factors in the Differential Abilities Scales–Second edition and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children–Second edition but not in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fifth edition or the Woodcock–Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities. Instead, the results supported alternative conceptualizations from independent factor analytic research. Additionally, whereas a bifactor model produced superior fit indices in two instruments (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fifth edition and Woodcock–Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities), a higher order structure was found to be superior in the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children–Second edition and the Differential Abilities Scales–Second edition. Regardless of the model employed, the general factor captured a significant portion of each instrument’s variance. Implications for IQ test assessment, interpretation, and theory are discussed.