Correlation between intelligence test scores and executive function measures

In this study some executive function measures (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [WCST] verbal fluency, and Trial Making Test [TMT], Form A and Form B) were correlated with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) scores. Fifty 13- to 16-year-old normal children were selected. It was found that verbal fluency tests correlated about 0.30 with Verbal Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Full Scale IQ. In the WCST only Perseverative Errors negatively correlated with Verbal le and Full Scale Ie. Two correlations were found to be significant with regard to the TMT: TMT Form B Errors negatively correlated with WISC-R Vocabulary subtest; and TMT Form A Time negatively correlated with Performance Ie. These results support the assumption that traditional intelligence tests are not appropriately evaluating executive functions. (C) 1999 National Academy of Neuropsychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.