What Can an IQ Test Score Tell You?
What Can an IQ Test Score Tell You?
Not as much as many people think.
During my years as a consultant with families, I administered individual IQ tests to people, mostly to children, who showed signs of being intellectually gifted. I also interpreted for parents what the results mean and what the results indicate about the learning needs of their children.
This job was, for me, difficult for a variety of reasons, the foremost reason being that IQ scores aren’t precise. And I know that. Having focused on Test & Measurement for my PhD program at the University of Minnesota (once called the empiricism dustbowl for being a leader in psychological testing and analysis*), I have a different background in testing than many who administer ability tests.
IQ tests generally indicate what a person is capable of learning, not how successful or cooperative at learning — and using what’s learned — the test-taker will be.
What? IQ tests aren’t precise? Does this mean that the IQ I have for myself or my child might be wrong?
Wrong? Well, not exactly. You see, an IQ is just one sample of the range that is your “true score.” A true score is the hypothetical average of a thousand parallel testings of someone’s intellectual abilities. You can score higher or lower on any given occasion, but if you take the tests enough, the scores will find their center, the most likely place that it’s reflecting your true score or your average ability (ability to learn new things) profile and level.
Think of this: if, as in the olden days, when you stick a thermometer in your mouth to get your temperature to see if you have a fever, the results vary according to which part of your mouth you stick it in, whether you’ve just had ice water or hot tea to drink, and whether you keep trying to talk while it’s in there. Because we know there’s a healthy human temperature average, we can pretty much guess if we’re doing it wrong or if the thermometer isn’t functioning correctly. (I still use this kind of thermometer and think I should get a modern one, but you get my point here).
But with IQ tests, having a good or bad day when you take the test isn’t all that can make the difference in your score. Which test you take, what the test’s possible score range is, what the scale is of your test compared to someone else’s test, what elements are actually assessed, how new or old the test is (when was it last normed or updated?), all of these factors can determine whether or not you have a score that represents your abilities very well.
I will share more testing background with you in another post. In the meantime, try not to get too hung up on an actual score. It is more important to know as much as possible about what you are capable of, what lights your own fire of ambition, and in what circumstances you are most blissfully happy with the people and activities around you. Getting your score results — or your child’s — should be to help you understand yourself — or your child — better. Because then it becomes possible to have more control and say over your life!
“Meehl, Paul Everett .” Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Encyclopedia.com. (August 26, 2022). https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/meehl-paul-everett
My current published books about the gifted:
The Five Levels of Gifted Children Grown Up: What They Tell Us (2023). https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-Children-Grown-Up/dp/B0C9SHFRLH or https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-5-levels-of-gifted-children-grown-up-phd-deborah-l-ruf/1143719859?ean=9798988323709. This is an 18 year longitudinal study follow-up about the original gifted child subjects in 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options (2005, 2009).
Keys to Successfully Parenting the Gifted Child (2023). Keys to Successfully Parenting Gifted Children (2022, 2023)
Losing Our Minds: Too Many Gifted Children Left Behind (October 2024). to pre-order, follow this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DHV6QT6F
5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options in 2009. Here are links to the 5 Levels of Gifted book on Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/5-levels-of-gifted-deborah-ruf/1126358834 and Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-School-Educational-Options/dp/0910707987 or directly from the publisher: https://www.giftedunlimitedllc.com/store/p12/5_Levels_of_Gifted.html
Environmental, Familial, and Personal Factors That Affect the Self-Actualization of Highly Gifted Adults: Case Studies (D. Ruf, 1998) doctoral dissertation. Free PDF https://dabrowskicenter.org/ruf
Dr. Ruf is available for the following services.
Click for details and to schedule:
One-Hour Test Interpretation
Gifted Child Test Interpretation & Guidance
20-Minute Consultation
45-Minute Consultation
One-Hour Consultation
Podcast Interview