The purpose of this study was to examine the intellectual factors involved and the basic skill levels necessary for high risk students to experience success in college. The subjects were 60 full-time college freshmen enrolled in a special program for high risk students at Ball State University during the 1978-79 school year.The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) was administered to subjects that were selected by a stratified random sample technique from a group of 342 full-time students identified as high risk students. Academic success was based solely upon grade point average.Pearson Product Moment Correlations were computed between grades and the WWAIS test scores for males, females and the total group. The scores which reached significance for the total group (after two quarters of attendance) were Information, Comprehension, Vocabulary, and the Verbal IQ. These results were consistent with earlier studies which indicated that verbal comprehension skills are of primary importance in predicting academic success in college with regular college students.Sex differences were apparent as significant correlations were found between grades and the Information and Vocabulary subtests for females but not for males. Significant correlations were found between grades and the Comprehension, Similarities, Picture Completion, Verbal IQ and Full Scale IQ scores for males but not for females.Partial correlations with grades were computed for the WAIS results with the effects of the traditional measures of Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) Verbal and Mathematics Sections and high school rank held constant. Information and Vocabulary WAIS subtest scores yielded significant partial correlations with grades for the total group. The Information subtest yielded a significant partial correlation with grades for females while the Comprehension subtest provided a significant partial correlation with grades for males.Multiple correlations using all of the WAIS results did not reach significance for either males, females, or the total group when compared to grade point averages. Multiple correlations using the total WAIS results and the traditional measures did not reach significance for the total group or for females when compared to grades. The multiple correlation using total WAIS results and the traditional measures did reach significance for males. The total WAIS results did not add significantly to the predictive information provided by the traditional measures for either males, females, or the total group.The conclusion of the study was that portions of the WAIS could be useful in evaluating the chances of success for high risk students enrolled in a special program. Subtests which measure verbal comprehension provide the highest relationship with academic success. Also,ability to predict success with the WAIS can be enhanced if sex differences are taken into consideration.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/180302 |
| Date | 03 June 2011 |
| Creators | Ruble, Virgil Eugene |
| Contributors | Joy, Kenneth L. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | viii, 94 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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