Validity Studies of the Leiter International Performance Scale for an International Middle School Population

The problem of this study was to investigate the construct and short-term predictive validity of the Leiter International Performance Scale (LIPS) for an international population of middle school students in an overseas school. The 141 subjects were 13, 14, and 15 year old students from many nations who came to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with their parents who were professionals, highly skilled technologists, and foreign embassy employees. The sample represented 15 nations and was functionally divided into four groups: (Group A) Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States; (Group B) Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden; (Group C) Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam; and (Group D) Japan and Korea. The LIPS and Iowa Test of Basic Skills were administered to the sample in the Spring Semester. No significant differences existed between mean IQ scores for the four sample groups. Males scored significantly higher than females on the LIPS. The LIPS and math achievement were significantly correlated for each sample group. Reading achievement was significantly correlated with the LIPS for Group A, Group c, and Group D. The LIPS was recommended as a valid intelligence instrument for an international population similar to the sample. The LIPS yields valid predictions for math achievement, even for non-English-dominant students in an international school