Various issues can affect the outcome of intelligence testing in children of kindergarten age; for example, children so young often have difficulty focusing on a task for an extended period, sitting still for more than a couple of minutes at a time and opening up to strangers. A child who has been socially isolated may not score as well as a child who attended preschool, even if both possess similar intelligence, reports Louise McCauley at Psychiatry On-Line. Multiple tests performed at different times more clearly indicate a child's true intelligence level.
The venue and the situation in which the intelligence test is given to young children play a big part in the results; in addition, testing should be performed by a person with whom the child is comfortable. In other words, the child's teacher might test but not at the beginning of the school year; later in the year the child will feel more comfortable with the teacher and the setting. If this is not possible, perhaps a parent can be present. The room should be relatively free of distractions; the test administrator must understand how easily young children are distracted and take that into account when considering responses.
Tests must be interesting enough to hold the child's attention and not take too long to complete, says McCauley. Tests should include portions that are not language-based since some children's language skills at this age are not well-developed. Standards-based results are more important than those based on norms since all children develop at slightly different rates; the reasoning behind the child's response is more significant than the response itself. The test also should account for the cultural background of the child as it may affect even non-verbal responses.
Using standardized instruments eliminates many potential issues regarding validity and bias. The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test determine IQ for children in this age group. The WPPSI requires minimal or no writing, takes as little as 25 minutes to complete and measures potential rather than learned information. Similar in some ways, the SB requires little verbal response; is broken up into subtests that take only five minutes each; and measures various aspects of learning ability in addition to knowledge. Other standardized tests for kindergartners exist.