Date of Award
8-1991
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Jack L. Michael
Second Advisor
Dr. Paul Mountjoy
Third Advisor
Dr. David Lyon
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Eighteen institutionalized school-age and adult subjects with severe/profound developmental disabilities were evaluated for the effects of self-selected reinforcement for correct responding on their I.Q. scores when tested with the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (Terman & Merrill, 1960) or the Leiter International Performance Scale (Arthur, 1952). Subjects were tested under both standard and reinforcement conditions. The results indicated that overall, subjects when tested under reinforcement conditions showed a significant increase in mean I.Q. scores when compared with the same subjects tested one month previously under standard conditions. Several features of the data reveal intriguing results with regard to subjects and related preexisting or predetermined variables, including age, psychotropic medication, and test type. Results and implications of the data for I.Q. testing of institutionalized severely and profoundly retarded individuals were discussed.
Recommended Citation
Lewis, Jody Robin, "Reinforcement Effects on the I.Q. Scores of Institutionalized Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities" (1991). Masters Theses. 988.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/988
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