THE DEFECTIVE DELINQUENT CLASS DIFFERENTIATING TESTS
Abstract
The task of collecting data, devising processes and making the computations involved in the presentation of the findings from this first group of subjects has been of course somewhat onerous, especially as a mass of experimental work was done which proved beside the mark, e. g., the correlation of "time" and "work"in the timed tests; but the time required for examining individual subjects by this method now that this foundation group of scores and the computations are available is but little if any more than an equally searching examination without the tests would require; and there can be no doubt that by the use of these tests the examiner's knowledge of his subject's mentality is greatly broadened. The tests of the retained list can be given in an hour unless the subject stands unusually long in the Achievement Capacity Test. The computations are simple when one is familiar with the method and do not require ten minutes if one wishes only to ascertain the relative standing of a new subject to the existing group.
[See table in the PDF file]
In the above table the actual scores of the "efficiency" column are simply compared with the scores of the group of 100, test by test as given in Table II where identical or very closely approximate scores will be found. The corresponding transmutation value is then found in Table III and for the array thus secured the measures are calculated. The new subject's median of course determines his relative standing in Table VI.
So 8o minutes is ample time in which to apply the tests and find the standing of a subject with relation to the group to which it is then ready to be added. If all alienists dealing with defectives were using this or some similar system which had become standardized the recorded data would have great scientific value.
1. The responsibility of defective delinquents is limited. Therefore they should be committed to a suitable institution instead of being sentenced for punishment with fully equipped misdemeanants.
2. The differentiation of mental defectives of the highest grade is based solely on the measurement of mental characters.
3. Mental characters capable of expression may be measured by applying uniformly properly adapted psychological tests.
4. Cases of moral perversion, sexual deviation, degeneracy, insanity, etc., are not to be diagnosticated by tests adapted to differentiate defectives, but require other and appropriate means of investigation.
5. By computations based on the efficiency scores obtained from the application of appropriate psychological tests the relative standing of each subject of a group may be mathematically determined.
6. The group of scores and computations presented may serve as a nucleus to which new scores may be added, each in its relative standing, by alienists using the same tests and methods of computation.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
