Comparison of expressive and receptive measures of intelligence

The Revised Beta Examination (RBE) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) were administered to 34 disabled male and female students (ages 15 to 20 years) in a special education rehabilitation unit in western Virginia; a correlation coefficient of .46 was found. It was concluded that since the two tests measured different facets of intelligence (the PPVT is a receptive measure, the RBE an expressive measure) each should be administered as part of a battery and that this would be more economical than administering the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). A significant difference between the mean scores of the two tests was verified through a t test. In making a choice between them researchers and test administrators will want to choose whether they want an expressive or receptive measure of intelligence.