PEDIATRICIANS' APPRAISALS OF PATIENTS' INTELLIGENCE

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Abstract
Four hundred seventy-seven estimates by pediatricians of developmental level and intelligence of 242 patients from 1 through 9 years of age were compared with results of standard psychologic tests. Approximately a half of the pediatricians' appraisals were accurate within 10 points of the psychologic test results, and about a third deviated more than 15 points. None of the attributes of the pediatricians or the conditions under which they made their appraisals were related to accuracy. However, not all estimates were made equally well. The greatest accuracy was shown in the estimates for children within the normal range of intelligence. The two groups most consistently misjudged by the pediatricians were the physically ill and the mentally retarded. Levels of development were most frequently underestimated in physically ill children and grossly overestimated in mentally retarded children. Implications of the findings for pediatric practice and education are presented.

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