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Abstract:

Introduction: Recent cognitive instruments are often, explicitly or implicitly, based on the cognitive abilities from the Cattell – Horn – Carroll (CHC) taxonomy. The Dutch Cognitive Ability Test (CoVaT -CHC) is a new CHC-based intelligence battery for children and adolescents in Flanders (Dutch speaking part of Belgium). The purpose of the test is to provide insight in general intelligence as well as specific individual cognitive strengths and weaknesses. It measures five broad cognitive abilities (Fluid Intelligence, Crystallized Intelligence, Short-term Memory, Visual Processing and Processing Speed) and consists of both verbal and language-reduced subtests thus making the test useful for non-native Dutch speakers. The test can be used for individual or group assessment. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate psychometric properties of the CoVaT-CHC. Confirmatory factor analysis will be conducted to determine which model best describes the structure measured by the CoVaT-CHC: the hierarchical CHC-model, the Gf-Gc model or a model similar to Spearman’s g. Design: The representative sample consisted of approximately 2000 children who all completed the CoVaT-CHC. Participants ranged from 10 years, 0 months to 13 years, 11 months. Participating children completed the assessment at school in groups of 5 – 25 during four sequential lessons. Results & Conclusions will be presented at the conference and will be discussed in the context of previous findings. Preliminary analyses support the structure of the CHC-model and the subtests show good to excellent internal consistency.