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The Stanford-Binet intelligence scale
Definition
The Stanford-Binet intelligence scale is a standardized test that assesses intelligence and cognitive
abilities in children, beginning at age two, and in adults.
Purpose
The Stanford-Binet intelligence scale is used as a tool in school placement, in determining the presence
of a learning disability or a developmental delay , and in tracking intellectual development. In addition, it
is sometimes included in neuropsychological testing to assess the brain function of individuals with
neurological impairments.
Description
The Stanford-Binet intelligence scale is a direct descendent of the Binet-Simon scale, the first
intelligence scale created in 1905 by psychologist Alfred Binet (1857–1911) and Theophilus Simon. Lewis
Terman (1877–1956) published the Stanford-Binet scale initially in 1916. As of 2004, the scale had been
revised five times—in 1937, 1960 (with a scoring change of this version in 1973), 1986, and 2003.
Beginning with the fourth revision (1986), the test underwent design changes to include a larger, more
diverse, representative sample in order to minimize the gender and racial inequities that had been
criticized in earlier versions of the test. Originally designed for children only, with the fifth edition (2003)
the Stanford-Binet can be used on anyone older than two years of age.
The Stanford-Binet scale tests intelligence across six areas: general intelligence, knowledge, fluid
reasoning, quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial processing, and working memory. These areas are
covered by ten subtests that include activities measuring both verbal and non-verbal intelligence.
Activities include verbal absurdities, picture absurdities, verbal analogies, form patterns, procedural
knowledge, sentence and word memory, position and direction, early reasoning, and quantitative
reasoning.
All test subjects take two initial routing tests: a vocabulary test and a matrices test (which assesses non-
verbal reasoning). The results of these tests, along with the subject's age, determine the number and
level of subtests to be administered.
Total testing time is around 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the child's age and the number of subtests
given. Raw scores are based on the number of items answered and are converted into a standard age
score corresponding to age group, similar to an IQ measure.
Precautions
Intelligence testing requires a clinically trained examiner. Children with physical disabilities may require
certain accommodations when taking the test, such as extra time for tasks, rest breaks, or instructions
received in an alternate format (e.g., signing for a deaf child). The examiner should be made aware of a
child's potential limitations before the day of the test so that appropriate accommodations are available.
Normal results
Scoring for the Stanford-Binet generates a verbal IQ score (VIQ), a non-verbal IQ score (NIQ), and a full-
scale IQ (FSIQ). It is a standardized test, meaning that norms are established during the design phase of
the test by administering the test to a large, representative sample of the test population (in the case of
the fifth edition, data from the 2000 U.S. census were used). The test has a mean, or average, standard
score of 100 and a standard deviation of 15 for composite scores (subtests have a mean of 10 and a
standard deviation of 3). The standard deviation indicates how far above or below the norm the
subject's score is. For example, an eight-year-old is assessed with the Stanford-Binet scale and achieves
a standard age score of 115. The mean score of 100 is the average level at which all eight-year-olds in
the representative sample performed. This child's score would be one standard deviation above that
norm.
While standard age scores provide a reference point for evaluation, they represent an average of a
variety of skill areas. A trained psychologist evaluates and interprets an individual's performance on the
scale's subtests to discover strengths and weaknesses and offer recommendations based upon these
findings.
Parental concerns
Test anxiety can have a negative impact on a child's performance, so parents should attempt to take the
stress off their child by making sure they understand that it is the effort and attention they give the test,
not the final score that matters. Parents can also ensure that their children are well-rested on the testing
day and have a nutritious meal beforehand.

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The Stanford-Binet intelligence scale

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