Are there IQ score increases in those with autism? An examination of the Flynn effect.

Billeiter, K.B. (Kenzie)¹, Hajovsky, D (Daniel)², Bonifay, W (Wesley)³, Allen, J (Justin)¹, Shim, H (Hyejin)^3
1Sam Houston State University, 77340, Huntsville
²University of South Dakota, 57069, Vermillion
³University of Missouri, 65211, Columbia

 

Submission type

Poster only

Scheduled

Hallway, 10-07-2019, 15:30 - 17:00

Keywords

Flynn effect, autism, intellectual disability, intelligence, IQ

Summary

The Flynn Effect (FE), or secular increase in intelligence scores over the last century, has been widely endorsed throughout the scientific community. Although several studies have documented the FE across several variables, few researchers have determined whether the FE is present in neurodivergent populations. The current study aims to determine whether the FE exists in children (ages 3-18) with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) by analyzing data on standardized measures of intelligence (e.g. WISC) obtained through the National Database for Autism Research. Analyses will utilize scores from common measures of intelligence used to assess cognitive ability as well as item level data for each participant. Latent variable structural equation modeling (LV-SEM) will be employed to analyze latent mean changes across age cohorts. Furthermore, item response theory (IRT) will ensure that score differences do not reflect a recalibration of the instrument’s scale. The results will either a) provide evidence of the FE in an understudied population or, b) contradict previous findings possibly due to atypical cognitive development/uncharacteristic cognitive processes. Findings from the current study offer potential implications for research and practice as the use of IQ scores in identifying ASDs or related disabilities depends on the validity of inferences drawn from scores.

Auteurs