UNIT: Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test

1. UNIT: Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test Kaylynn Dall Arineh Danelian Anthony Neal

2. Introduction The Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test (UNIT) is a set of individually administered specialized tasks. These tasked are designed to measure fairly the general intelligence and cognitive abilities of children and adolescents from age five through 17 years who may be disadvantaged by traditional verbal and language-loaded measures. The UNIT is intended to provide a fair assessment of intelligence for children and adolescence who have speech, language, or hearing impairment; color-vision deficiencies; different cultures or language back-grounds; and those who are verbally uncommunicative. The UNIT also provides diagnostic information relevant to education exceptionalities and psychiatric diagnosis.

3. Theoretical Foundations UNIT�s definition of intelligence: the ability to solve problems using memory and reasoning Intelligence Hierarchy General Intelligence, or g Memory and Reasoning Symbolic and Non-Symbolic Research goals for developing the UNIT Develop a nonverbal test (no receptive or expressive language) Create a test that truly assess general intelligence Create an assessment that is not culturally loaded Have a test that is easy to administer and take

4. Uses/Applications For children and adolescents whose intellectual abilities cannot be adequately, appropriately or fairly assessed with verbal questions For children and adolescents with: hearing impairments speech, language impairments color vision deficiencies different cultural or language backgrounds those who are verbally uncommunicative Intellectually gifted well as general intelligence and thereby broaden the concept of intellectual giftedness Individuals with mental retardation Individuals with language-related psychiatric disorders

5. Examinee Considerations Individuals from different cultural background The examiner should keep in mind the examinee�s cultural standpoint; keep in mind not to make references related to the dominant culture. The UNIT does that being a nonverbal test. Individuals with limited English Before beginning an assessment of an examinee whose first language is not English, the examiner should learn as much as possible about the examinee�s cultural history. This may require an interpreter�s assistance. Individuals with speech and language impairment Working with children or adolescents with speech or language impairment within their life they have endured frustration and most a short fuse due to the lack of communication. Just be aware of the communication because it can inhibit their score.

6. Examinee Considerations (cont) Individuals with serious emotional disturbance or psychiatric disorders The examiner should always nave knowledge on what disorders the child may have before the test begin. This will prepare the examiner and overall influence the testing in a positive way. Individuals with physical disabilities The UNIT allows for pointing responses or minor changes within five of its subtest. Since there are no time limits on most subtest and the rest have generous amounts of time individuals with motoric difficulties are not penalized.

7. Examiner Considerations Well-trained Specifically with administrating the UNIT Sensitive to examinees cultural Examiner�s attitude and interpersonal demeanor Develop rapport and maintain rapport Be open and friendly, businesslike, work at a comfortable and steady pace Be aware of examinees behavior�s Offer breaks when needed, take a short walk around the room Encourage examinee Point to examinee, point to test materials, then wave both hands in a rotating fashion. Give multiple thumbs up and positive head nods

8. Environmental Considerations Similar and standardized conditions must exist Test administration should be fluid and no delays between items or subtests Communicate interest, enthusiasm, and encouragement nonverbally through smiles and gestures. Examiner should describe the procedure of the test and inform participant that questions about the test will not be answered once the test has begun

9. Environmental Considerations (cont) Test should take place in a quiet, well-lit, well-ventilated room with a comfortable temperature Distractions should be eliminated or minimized Lighting is critical Competing visual stimuli should be removed Workspace should be clear of all material except the testing stimuli Top of test table should be smooth and flat Examiner should sit at an angle across the corn of the table from the examinee, on the side of examinee�s dominant hand Test materials that aren�t being used should be placed out of sight Should only include the examiner and examinee but sometimes a third person will be allowed in the room

10. Administration Options Abbreviated battery includes the first two subtests, symbolic memory and cube design, and may be used as a screener of intellectual functioning. Standard battery consists of the first four subtest, symbolic memory, cube design, spatial memory, and analogic reasoning... And is the most frequently administered UNIT option. The standard battery is appropriately used for making educational placement decisions. Extended battery includes all 6 subtest, that is, the four sub-tests in the standard battery plus object Memory, and mazes, and is appropriate for more in-depth diagnostic assessments.

11. Conceptual Model 2 measure breakdowns There are measures of memory Symbolic memory, spatial memory, and object memory There are measures of reasoning Cube design, analogic reasoning, and mazes