Stability and change over time in cognitive level of children with delays

Cognitive and family data on 82 children with developmental delays were collected in an 8-year longitudinal study. Child measures included the Gesell and the UCLA Temperament Scale administered at child age 3 and the Stanford Binet, administered at child ages 6 and 11. Family measures included SES, level of maternal education, and factor scores reflecting family accommodation or adaptation at the three time points. Although cognitive scores for the group were stable, use of a random coefficient regression technique documented differences in the decline of cognitive scores over time. Examination of change scores identified increasing, stable, and decreasing patterns of change. There were significant correlations between change in IQ, entering DQ, and Easy and Difficult temperaments.