CHC theory: Emergence, test instruments and school-related research brief

Contemporary Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) intelligence test development, interpretation and applied research can be traced to a fortuitous meeting of Richard Woodcock, John Horn, and John “Jack” Carroll in the fall of 1985, a meeting also attended by the first author of this web-resource ( McGrew, 2005). This meeting resulted in the 1989 publication of the first individually-administered, nationally standardized CHC-based intelligence battery, the Woodcock- Johnson- Revised (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 1989). This landmark event, which occurred 20 years ago, provided the impetus for the major CHC- driven evolution of school- based intelligence testing practice.

Subsequent important CHC events followed during this 20 year period, and included: (a) the first set of CHC- organized joint test battery factor analysis studies (Woodcock, 1990) which planted the seeds for the concept of CHC cross-battery (CB) assessment, (b) the first attempt to use the WJ-R, via a Kaufman-like supplemental testing strategy (Kaufman, 1979), to implement the yet to be named and operationalized CHC CB approach to testing ( McGrew, 1993), (c) the articulation of the first integrated Cattell-Horn-Carroll model and classification of the major intelligence batteries as per the CHC framework (McGrew, 1997), (d) the first description of the assumptions, foundations, and operational principles for CHC CB assessment and interpretation (Flanagan & McGrew, 1997; McGrew & Flanagan, 1998), (e) the publication of the first intelligence theory and assessment book to prominently feature CHC theory and assessment methods (Contemporary Intellectual Assessment: Theories, Tests, and Issues; Flanagan, Genshaft & Harrison, 1997; click here for link to 2nd edition), (f) the publication of the CHC CB assessment series ( Flanagan, McGrew & Ortiz, 2000; Flanagan, Ortiz, Alfonso & Mascolo, 2006; Flanagan, Ortiz & Mascolo, 2001, 2007; McGrew & Flanagan, 1998), (g) the completion of a series of CHC-organized studies that investigated the relations between CHC cognitive abilities and reading, math, and writing achievement (what you are reading now), (h) the articulation of CHC-grounded SLD assessment and eligibility frameworks (see Flanagan & Fiorello, manuscript in preparation) and (h) the subsequent CHC- grounded revisions or interpretations of a number of comprehensive individually administered intelligence test batteries ( Differential Abilities Scales—II, DAS-II;Stanford- Binet—5^thEdition, SB5;Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children—2^ndEdition, KABC- II). Although not overtly stated, the impact of CHC theory can be seen in the recent revisions of the venerable Wechsler trilogy ( WPPSI-III; WISC- IV; WAIS- IV) as well as the presentation of CHC CB procedures for interpreting the three Wechsler batteries ( Flanagan et al., 2000).

Click here for other posts in this series.