Analysis of profiles in a sample of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of analyzing profiles of students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SB5) special composite scores (Roid, 2003). Ninety-four SB5 profiles of children and adolescents independently diagnosed with ADHD were analyzed and compared to a non-ADHD matched control sample. Methodology similar to that described in the SB5 Technical Manual for calculating composite scores for other subgroups was used for obtaining experimental composite scores for participants in the present study (Roid, 2003). Three of the ten SB5 experimental composites (Planning Ability, Attention and Concentration, and Acquired Knowledge) were predicted to be lower in the ADHD group when compared to the control group, with the remaining seven composites predicted to show no significant differences. In addition to looking at the ten SB5 experimental composites, formulae were computed to create residual composite scores for use as comparisons to the original ten composites. This was done using those SB5 subtests not used in the calculation of each experimental composite score. The differences between each pair of composite scores were calculated and analyzed.; The analyses included descriptive statistics, ANOVAs, sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive power of the SB5 using the subgroup of participants diagnosed with ADHD and comparing this group to the non-ADHD matched control group.; Overall statistically significant differences were found on the Full Scale, Verbal, and Nonverbal IQ scores with the ADHD group scoring an average of 7.6 points lower than the control group. All ten SB5 Shared Ability Composites were statistically significantly lower in the ADHD group when compared to the control group. Differences between Residual and Shared Ability Composites were analyzed. Since only the Attention and Concentration shared ability produced significant mean differences between the Shared Ability and Shared Ability Residual scores, the group data for this particular shared ability was further analyzed to examine practical significance. Conditional probability analyses found that this experimental composite lacked practical significance. Thus, findings suggest that Shared Ability Composites on the SB5 should not be used for diagnostic purposes with the ADHD population. Implications for the assessment of children and adolescents with ADHD and suggestions for future research are discussed.