Researchers have typically found a mean difference of about 15 points between Blacks and Whites on traditional measures of intelligence. Some have argued that the difference between Blacks and Whites would be smaller on measures of cognitive processing. This study examined Black (n= 298) and White (n= 1,691) children on Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive cognitive processes (PASS theory of intelligence) as operationalized by the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS). Regression analyses, controlling for key demographic variables, showed an estimated CAS Full Scale mean score difference of 4.8, which is smaller than that found with traditional IQ. Correlations between the PASS scores and achievement were similar for Blacks (median of .70) and Whites (median of .64). Moderated regression analyses showed no interaction effect for race by CAS Full Scale with achievement, suggesting that there are similar relationships between the CAS and achievement for Black (n= 298) and White (n= 1,691) groups. Nonsignificant interactions resulted when the Black and White child groups were analyzed with smaller matched samples (n= 298; n= 298). These results add to the growing body of literature supporting the validity of the PASS theory as measured by the CAS and the utility of the theory for assessment of minority students.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aguinis, H. (2004). Regression analysis for categorical moderators. New York: Guilford.
2.
Bracken, B. A., & McCallum, R. S. (1998). Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test. Itasca, IL: Riverside.
3.
Bracken, B. A., & Naglieri, J. A. (2003). Assessing diverse populations with nonverbal tests of general intelligence. In C. R. Reynolds & R. W. Kamphaus (Eds.), Handbook of psychological and educational assessment of children(2nd ed., pp. 243-273). New York: Guilford.
4.
Carroll, J. B. (1993). Human cognitive abilities. New York: Cambridge.
5.
Ceci, S. J. (2000). So near and yet so far: Lingering questions about the use of measures of general intelligence for college admission and employment screening. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 6, 233-252.
6.
Das, J. P. (2002). Theories of intelligence: Issues and applications. In G. Goldstein and S. R. Beers (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of psychological assessment(pp. 5-24). New York: Wiley.
7.
Das, J. P., & Abbott, J. (1995). PASS: An alternative approach to intelligence. Psychology and Developing Societies, 7, 155-184.
8.
Das, J. P., Kirby, J. R., & Jarman, R. F. (1979). Simultaneous and successive cognitive processes. New York: Academic Press.
9.
Das, J. P., Naglieri, J. A., & Kirby, J. R. (1994). Assessment of cognitive processes: The PASS theory of intelligence. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
10.
Deary, I. J., Austin, E. J., & Caryl, P. G. (2000). Testing versus understanding human intelligence. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 6, 180-190.
11.
Fagan, J. R. (2000). A theory of intelligence as processing: Implications for society. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 6, 168-179.
12.
Feuerstein, R., Rand, Y., & Hoffman, M. (1979). The dynamic assessment of retarded performers: The Learning Potential Assessment Device(LPAD). Baltimore, MD: University Park Press.
13.
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
14.
Guildford, J. P., & Fruchter, B. (1978). Fundamental statistics in psychology and education. New York: McGraw Hill.
15.
Jaccard, J., Turrisi, R., & Wan, C. K. (1990). Interaction effects in multiple regression.Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
16.
Kaufman, A. S., & Kaufman, N. L. (1983). Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
17.
Kaufman, A. S., & Lichtenberger, E. O. (1999). Essentials of WAIS-III assessment.New York: Wiley.
18.
Luria, A. R. (1966). Human brain and psychological processes. New York: Harper and Row.
19.
Luria, A. R. (1973). The working brain. New York: Basic Books.
20.
Luria, A. R. (1980). Higher cortical functions in man(2nd ed.). New York: Basic Books.
21.
Matarazzo, J. (1992). Psychological testing and assessment in the 21st century. American Psychologist, 47, 1007-1018.
22.
Naglieri, J. A. (1986). WISC-R and K-ABC comparison for matched samples of Black and White children. Journal of School Psychology, 24, 81-88.
23.
Naglieri, J. A. (1997a). Intelligence knowns and unknowns: Hits and misses. American Psychologist, 25, 75-76.
24.
Naglieri, J. A. (1997b). Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test. San Antonio: The Psychological Corporation.
25.
Naglieri, J. A. (1999). Essentials of CAS assessment. New York: Wiley.
26.
Naglieri, J. A. (2002). Best practices in interventions for school psychologists: A cognitive approach to problem solving. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology(4th ed., pp. 1373-1392). Bethesda, MD: NASP.
27.
Naglieri, J. A. (2003). Current advances in assessment and intervention for children with learning disabilities. In T. E. Scruggs & M. A. Mastropieri (Eds.), Advances in learning and behavioral disabilities Volume 16: Identification and assessment(pp. 163-190). New York: JAI.
28.
Naglieri, J. A., & Bornstein, B. T. (2003). Intelligence and achievement: Just how correlated are they?Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 21,244-260.
29.
Naglieri, J. A., & Das, J. P. (1990). Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive cognitive processes as a model for intelligence. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 8, 303-337.
30.
Naglieri, J. A., & Das, J. P. (1997). Cognitive Assessment System. Itasca, IL: Riverside.
31.
Naglieri, J. A., & Das, J. P. (2004). The PASS theory. In D. P. Flanagan & P. L. Harrison (Eds.), Contemporary intellectual assessment(2nd ed., pp. 120-135).
32.
Naglieri, J. A., De Lauder, B. Y., Goldstein, S., & Schwebech, A. (in press). WISC-III and CAS: Which correlates higher with achievement for a clinical sample?School Psychology Quarterly.
33.
Naglieri, J., & Ford, D. Y. (2003). Addressing under-representation of gifted minority children using the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT). Gifted Child Quarterly, 47, 155-160.
34.
Naglieri, J. A., & Gottling, S. H. (1995). A cognitive education approach to math instruction for the learning disabled: An individual study. Psychological Reports, 76, 1343-1354.
35.
Naglieri, J. A., & Gottling, S. H. (1997). Mathematics instruction and PASS cognitive processes: An intervention study. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30,513-520.
36.
Naglieri, J. A., & Johnson, D. (2000). Effectiveness of a cognitive strategy intervention to improve math calculation based on the PASS theory. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33, 591-597.
37.
Naglieri, J. A., & Rojahn, J. (2001). Evaluation of African-American and White children in special education programs for children with mental retardation using the WISC-III and Cognitive Assessment System. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 106, 359-367.
38.
Naglieri, J. A., & Ronning, M. E. (2000). Comparison of White, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian children on the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test. Psychological Assessment, 12, 328-334.
39.
Neisser, U. (1997). Never a dull moment. American Psychologist, 52, 79-81.
40.
Neisser, U., Boodoo, G., Bouchard, R. J., Boykin, A. W., Brody, N., Ceci, S. J., et al. (1996). Intelligence: Knowns and unknowns. American Psychologist, 51, 77-101.
41.
Oswald, D. P., Coutinho, M. J., Best, A. M., & Singh, N. N. (1999). Ethnic representation in special education: The influence of school-related economic and demographic variables. Journal of Special Education, 32, 194-206.
42.
Ramsey, M. C., & Reynolds, C. R. (2004). Relations between intelligence and achievement tests. In G. Goldstein and S. Beers (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of psychological assessment (pp. 25-50). New York: Wiley.
43.
Sternberg, R. J. (1988). The triarchic mind: A new theory of human intelligence. New York: Viking.
44.
Suzuki, L. A., & Valencia, R. R. (1997). Race-ethnicity and measured intelligence. American Psychologist, 52, 1103-1114.
45.
Wasserman, J. D. (2002). Assessment of intellectual functioning. In J. R. Graham & J. A. Naglieri (Eds.) Handbook of psychology: Volume 10 assessment psychology,pp. 417-442. New York: Wiley.
46.
Wasserman, J. D., & Becker, K. A. (2000, August). Racial and ethnic group mean score differences on intelligence tests. In J. A. Naglieri (Chair), Making assessment more fair: Taking verbal and achievement out of ability tests. Symposium at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
47.
Woodcock, R. W., & Johnson, M. B. (1989). Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised: Standard and supplemental batteries. Itasca, IL: Riverside.
48.
Woodcock, R. W., McGrew, K. S., & Mather, N. (2001). Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement.Itasca, IL: Riverside.
49.
Yoakum, C. S., & Yerkes, R. M. (1920). Army mental tests.New York: Henry Holt.
