Psychologists see intelligence as an important concept that influences how people understand, make decisions, solve issues, and cope with different experiences. It is more than just school grades and affects a person’s day-to-day life, social skills, and job performance. Even though intelligence is complicated, a professionally conducted IQ test can measure it accurately. Many people choose an online IQ test to get a quick idea of their cognitive abilities, but the most reliable results come from an IQ test psychologist who uses standardized tools. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) is widely considered to be the best and most adequate way to test the cognitive abilities of teens and adults.
At CHMC, the German Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychology, offers WAIS-IV testing for people who are 16 years old and above. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) is widely considered to be the best and most adequate way to test the cognitive abilities of teens and adults.
The evaluation is conducted by licensed clinical psychologists, which includes a full analysis of cognitive functioning across different areas. Our assessments are administered and interpreted by professionals to make sure they are accurate and clinically relevant, whether they are being used for diagnosis, educational guidance, or personal insight.
What reason is there to take an IQ test?
Various situations exist that could prompt somebody to get an IQ test. Certain individuals rely on testing to find out about their own intellectual capabilities and weaknesses so they can decide what help they could use. To others, it serves to identify if they have a developmental, psychological or neurological condition. When someone has memory, attention, school or social problems, a professionally conducted IQ test may help.
Sometimes people use IQ tests to detect learning challenges, especially dyslexia, dyscalculia or issues with attention, like ADHD. They allow us to identify if a student has high intelligence and offers an opportunity for them to apply to gifted programs. For adults, taking an IQ test can guide them in choosing a career, ensure the job suits them or help them seek accessibility assistance at work. If someone is having difficulties with thinking due to brain injury, old age or dementia, an IQ test might be given during a neuropsychological evaluation.
At CHMC, all IQ assessments are based on scientifically proven tools and are examined in the context of the whole clinical picture. This makes sure that the results are not only correct, but also useful and relevant to real life challenges.
Understanding Intelligence: Crystallized And Fluid Intelligence
Understanding what intelligence means will allow you to understand an IQ score. Intelligence, according to most psychologists, involves learning, understanding difficult ideas, solving problems and being able to adjust well to new situations. But intelligence itself is not always the same. There are two types of intelligence in it: crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence, each one linked to the other.
All the information, new terms and abilities you get from school and your life are part of your crystallized intelligence. It is about the ability to reason using language and learn facts and it usually reflects both a person’s education and exposure to different cultures. A lawyer will often use crystallized intelligence, applying the legal thoughts they gained through years of learning about the law. With age, this kind of intelligence gets sharper since people keep learning throughout life.
On the other hand, fluid intelligence means you can solve worries and figure things out in new situations without any prior knowledge. It needs abstract thinking, the ability to remember, find patterns and think flexibly. If you can quickly deal with a unique challenge or find a new direction, you have fluid intelligence. Your fluid intelligence is usually strongest in your early twenties, whereas crystallized intelligence can stay the same or enhance with age.
The WAIS-IV is built to measure both kinds of intelligence. It enables clinicians to fully understand how people process, store and use information.
History of the Intelligence Test (IQ Test)
The concept of measuring intelligence began over a century ago. In 1905, psychologist Alfred Binet and Doctor Theodore Simon created the first intelligence test that was helpful. They didn’t plan to rate students based on their abilities; they only wanted to discover kids who needed help in school. He proposed using mental age, the level of thinking a child can handle and comparing it with their chronological age.
A decade later, Lewis Terman upgraded Binet’s approach and came up with the Stanford-Binet scale which uses the formula (mental age – chronological age) *100 to determine an Intelligence Quotient (IQ). As a result, modern IQ testing was developed and this new approach also influenced further progress in psychological testing.
Moreover, Intelligence tests have developed over the years as research on the mind has improved. The introduction of the Wechsler scales in 1939 led to testing that looked at many areas of intellectual function, not just one score. The WAIS-IV represents the newest advancement, drawing from many years of research and clinic experiences.
Intelligence: Genes and Environment
Both genes and environmental influences are important in making a person intelligent. According to behavioural genetics studies, around half of IQ differences are explained by genes. As a person becomes older and their environment allows them to explore their minds, these genetic factors seem to be more significant.
Still, genes need help from other things to function properly. Things happening in our environment are just as crucial as other factors for improving our minds. Cognitive development depends on how much early stimulation, healthy diets, caring support and a stable home a child experiences. A child who spends time at home with books, talking and doing mental exercises usually has better cognitive skills than one who does not.
Understanding the culture plays an important part too. Scores on intelligence tests may differ between nations and communities, yet no one group is genetically more intelligent. The reason for this is the variety of education systems, job markets and practical skills people have for exams. So, it’s crucial to use interpretation that takes cultural backgrounds into account in any IQ test. We pay attention to a patient’s language, background and life experiences to make sure the evaluation is equal and beneficial for them.
An Overview of the Wechsler Test
The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale was updated in 2008 with the WAIS-IV which is the current and fourth version. Used often in clinics, schools and research, it is considered the best method for testing an adult’s IQ. By using the WAIS-IV, one can assess a person’s intellectual abilities in a detailed way, starting from the age of 16 up to 90.
Also, WAIS-IV is special because it can assess different aspects of cognition instead of just reporting one overall result. The test includes ten main subtests and five additional ones. The index scores that make up these tests are called Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory and Processing Speed. They together offer a clear and multidimensional picture of someone’s cognitive abilities.
In addition to many other scores, the WAIS-IV measures two things overall: the Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ), aiming to assess general intelligence and the General Ability Index (GAI), concentrating only on reasoning and understanding and ignoring memory and processing speed.
Which Qualities Covers WAIS-IV Test
Every index score assesses one particular mental ability or process. The Verbal Comprehension Index assesses if a person can understand, explain and make sense of information presented verbally. This includes describing words, showing similarities between objects and answering questions about general knowledge. This index shows how well a person remember things, reason and acquire education over time.
This test measures how well people use spatial and nonverbal reasoning abilities. Visual questions in a test make you apply your visual experience, find repeatable patterns and solve things logically by just looking. It contributes to your ability to think abstractly and change the way you reason.
The Working Memory Index focuses on how well someone maintains attention, uses their mind to manipulate information and keeps it in memory for a short period. Examples in this area are practicing sequences of numbers and doing math in your mind.
Lastly, The Processing Speed Index also estimates how skilled a person is at quick and accurate simple tasks when they are under pressure. How well someone learns often relates to their visual-motor skills, level of attention and mental efficiency.
Each domain is tested using standardized assessments like Similarities, Digit Span, Matrix Reasoning, Block Design and Coding. Cognitive strengths and weaknesses can be found from the scores which can support choosing proper treatment, accommodations or more testing.
Clinical Applications of IQ Testing
IQ results can help clinical psychologists and psychiatrists decide on different treatment options as well as diagnoses. Tests such as the WAIS-IV are used at CHMC to help identify Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder and some learning disorders. The test can also check if there is an intellectual disability and those who qualify can benefit from special education.
Furthermore, the WAIS-IV enables health professionals to notice and monitor cognitive changes in those who have suffered from a stroke or neurological illness. In some cases, it is given to explore whether someone has dementia, or their thinking abilities are declining. The test supports identifying giftedness which opens up more educational opportunities and enrichment services. Sometimes, to decide if someone can understand a situation or to confirm disability, IQ scores are considered in legal or forensic practice.
How IQ Is Tested at CHMC
CHMC follows a standard three-phase method to ensure that all patients are properly and fairly evaluated. The initial step is a one-hour consultation meeting. At this point, the clinical psychologist asks about the person’s medical, developmental, educational and work history. At this stage, it becomes clear why the assessment is being done and whether extra psychological testing is needed.
The second step involves taking part in a 90-to-120-minute testing session. While taking the WAIS-IV, participants are put in a quiet and controlled room. This helps the person concentrate on work without anything getting in the way. The psychologist delivers the test in person, explains the tasks and sets clearly defined time limits. Connect with CHMC Dubai on Instagram for mental health insights
Lastly, we then go on to a feedback session lasting approximately one hour. Our psychologist summarizes the test findings in a way everyone can understand and explains what they suggest for the patient at this moment. After testing, the person receives a detailed report with scores, subtest details, notes from the psychologist and helpful recommendations. This report can help you act at school, at your job, with your healthcare or simply for yourself.
CHMC always ensures its patients’ comfort, privacy and ethical standards are upheld. Before drawing conclusions, our psychologists first use cultural knowledge to conduct sensitive tests and then consider how the results appear in a person’s whole life.
Ethics and IQ Tests
While IQ tests give us a lot of information about the brain, they must be handled with caution. Misusing IQ scores may result in unfair stigma, isolation or not recognizing what a person is capable of. Therefore, CHMC stresses ethical principles for all its psychological testing.
The basic ideas guiding us are informed consent, confidentiality, transparency and making sure all clinical decisions are proper. People undergoing a test are explained what it will accomplish, the procedure and what its limits are before it is done. There is no overuse of technical language and everything is clearly explained. We believe it is unwise to use IQ scores as a basis for deciding someone’s worth or abilities. For this reason, our clinicians explain that cognitive testing should be considered for understanding, rather than labeling.
IQ-Test. Summary
All in all, intelligence contains many different features and can’t be simply measured by one skill or number. It deals with thinking, reasoning, learning and solving problems and it is affected by both what we are born with and our environment. WAIS-IV is known for being scientifically sound and practical in clinical settings, but it mainly adds value by helping people, teachers, doctors and employers to make wise decisions.
Here at CHMC, we give professional IQ tests that use clinical experience and are based on worldwide standards. Regardless of whether you need help with strengths, learning issues, managing neurological problems or finishing paperwork for work or legal purposes, we are here to help. It is also used to help diagnose ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dementia. It includes exploring issues of learning disabilities, cognitive impairment, cognitive decline (linked to various causes, including old age), intellectual disability and intellectual giftedness.
For more information or to book an appointment, contact our CHMC reception.