Stability and Change in Abilities for a Sample of Young Adults

Abstract

The Ball Aptitude Battery, a multiple ability test battery, was administered to 121 young adults at age 18 and readministered at age 22. Test-retest correlations for individual tests ranged from .30 to .90, the highest coefficients (r_tts above .75) being observed on tests measuring (a) vocabulary, (b) hand and arm strength, (c) spatial ability, and (d) detail perception. Significant growth in ability (positive change scores) was observed on tests measuring (a) vocabulary, (b) reasoning ability, (c) detail perception, (d) spatial ability, and (e) hand and arm strength. Significant decline was observed on tests measuring finger dexterity. The test battery's factor structure remained relatively stable over the 4 years. Test profiles were largely stable over time with respect to rank order of scores. Gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status had only slight influence on ability change.