Preface

Resumen

The field of intelligence testing has been described as one of the most important contributions psychology has made to society. That contribution has had tremendous impact in virtually all aspects of psychology. Although traditional IQ tests are considered a ‘gold standard’ by some, they been criticized for being unfair to minority groups, inappropriate for those who have limited educational opportunity, insensitive to the cognitive problems experienced by those with disabilities such as ADHD, Autism and Specific Learning Disabilities, unrelated to instruction, and an obstacle to social justice particularly for bilingual students. Of course, some of these issues are especially relevant to psychologists and educators in Puerto Rico.

Many of the concerns regarding traditional IQ test are addressed in this issue of the Puerto Rican Journal of Psychology. The first paper introduces the PASS neurocognitive theory and provides the reader with a context for the research papers on the first and second editions of the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS and CAS2) including the Spanish Edition of the CAS2. Because the approach, originally conceived by Naglieri and Das in 1997, was based on brain function rather than traditional verbal and nonverbal test content, this approach is much more appropriate for diverse populations of students with disabilities (i.e. ADHD, Autism and learning disabilities) as well as those who have varying degrees of English language skills. The papers included in this issue go beyond simply looking at the utility of the PASS theory. They include research that use the CAS and CAS-2 to assess cognitive processes in diverse student populations in Puerto Rico and research on cognitive modification through reading and spelling interventions with Puerto Rican students. Finally, the last paper reminds us that intellectual assessment is a social justice issue- and the PASS theory as measured by the CAS2 provides a welcomed alternative to traditional IQ measures.

It takes a lot of courage to go against anything that has been accepted for more than 100 years, like the traditional view of intelligence. The research reports included in this issue illustrate the courage, insight and leadership of two important Puerto Rican psychologists -- Dr. Wanda C. Rodríguez-Arocho and Mary Annette Moreno-Torres. Their willingness to embrace a new way to conceptualize and measure intelligence has had considerable influence on their students and their joint efforts are having an important impact on the fields of psychology and education. Their continued efforts will certainly make a difference for our field, but more importantly, for the many Puerto Rican students who will be more fairly and more completely evaluated using the PASS theory as measured by the CAS2.