Concurrent and Predictive Validity of the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test-Group Ability Test

• Main Author: Bliss, Stacy L.
• Published: Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange 2008
• Subjects: Education
• Online Access: http://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/412

In order to determine the concurrent and predictive validity of the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test- Group Ability Test (UNIT-GAT; McCallum & Bracken, in press), the UNIT-GAT and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT; Naglieri, 1997a) were administered in counter-balanced order to 93 students. In addition, 40 students were rated on the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence – Gifted Screening Scales (UNIT-GSS; McCallum & Bracken, in press). The correlation coefficient of r = .36 between the UNITGAT total raw score and the NNAT was statistically significant at the p < .01 level. The UNIT-GAT scale score correlations with the NNAT total ranged from r = .18 for the Symbolic Scale to r= .53 (p< .01) for the Nonsymbolic Scale. The UNIT-GAT total raw score correlations with the UNIT-GSS composite and scales ranged from r = -.06 between both the Emotional and Science scales to r = .19 on the Creative Scale. None of the correlations were statistically significant. The correlations between the scales of the UNIT-GAT and composites of the UNIT-GSS ranged between r= -.05 (UNIT-GAT Memory Scale and UNIT-GSS General Aptitudes Composite) to r = .20 (UNIT-GAT Reasoning Scale and UNIT-GSS General Aptitudes Composite). Correlations between the scales of the UNIT-GAT and the scales of the UNIT-GSS ranged from r = -.30 between the UNIT-GAT Memory Scale and UNIT-GSS Emotional Scale to r = .25 between the UNIT-GAT Nonsymbolic Scale and UNIT-GSS Creative Scale. Stepwise multiple regression analysis did not reveal any significant utility by the UNIT-GAT total raw score or the NNAT total raw score to predict teacher-ratings on the UNIT-GSS General Aptitude and Specific Academic Aptitude Composites. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.