Which instrument is designed to assess intelligence in children?

• A. Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales
• B. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)
• C. WAIS
• D. Raven's Progressive Matrices

Answer: (B)

Intelligence testing instruments are designed with specific populations in mind, and the one built for children provides a comprehensive view of a child’s cognitive abilities. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children is specifically developed for school-age kids, typically ages 6 through 16, and yields a Full Scale IQ plus index scores that reflect verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. This age-specific design makes it the standard tool for assessing intellectual functioning in children and guiding educational and clinical decisions. In contrast, the WAIS targets adults, so it isn’t appropriate for children. The Stanford-Binet covers a broad age range but is not as specifically tied to the child-testing context as the WISC. Raven’s Progressive Matrices measure nonverbal abstract reasoning and are useful in some settings, but they don’t constitute the full, child-focused intelligence battery that the WISC provides.