IQ, an Uninvited Guest in the Field of Learning?: Correlation Study of Comprehensive Learning Test

Though substantial studies have revealed various factors contributing to learning reading and mathematics independent of intelligence, the relationship between learning and intelligence is multifaceted. The current study aimed to explore the correlation between intelligence and learning in reading and math, considering both general intelligence (Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient [FSIQ]) and specific domains of the Wechsler intelligence test to identify which aspects contribute to different learning areas.

A retrospective chart review was conducted on outpatients between the ages of 6 and 17 (N = 100), who were assessed using the Wechsler intelligence test and the Comprehensive Learning Test for reading and mathematics (CLT-R: Reading, CLT-M: Mathematic). A Pearson correlation analysis examined the relationships between FSIQ, indices (verbal comprehensive index [VCI], perceptual reasoning index [PRI], working memory index [WMI], processing speed index [PSI]), and CLT subtests in the full sample of 100 participants and the subset with an FSIQ of 70 or higher.

The correlation analysis revealed that most CLT-R and CLT-M subtests had statistically significant positive correlations with FSIQ in both the full sample and the subset. For CLT-M and indices, VCI and PRI showed significant correlations with several CLT-M subtests in the full sample, but most were no longer significant in the subset with an FSIQ of 70 or higher. WMI and PSI maintained correlations with speed, but not accuracy, in computation, comparison, and enumeration for the subset. As for CLT-R, several CLT-R subtests correlated positively with both the WMI and VCI indices in both groups.

The current study showed that most subtests in both reading and math exhibited significant positive correlations with general intelligence (FSIQ), whereas specific indices of intelligence (VCI, PRI, WMI, PSI) varied in their correlation with different subtests. These findings challenge the prevailing notion of excluding intelligence from studies of learning and underscore the necessity for future research to adopt more index- and element-specific approaches when investigating the relationship between learning and intelligence.