Use of testing-the-limits procedures in the assessment of intellectual capabilities in children with learning difficulties.

Various testing-the-limits procedures were employed in administering the Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices test to 108 subjects with learning difficulties (age range 8.4 to 12.9 years). Both the picture and the puzzle forms of the test were employed in a repeated-measures format. Results revealed significant improvement in performance due to testing condition, test version, and repeated testing. Testing conditions involving verbalization and feedback were most salient. Performance on the second testing was higher than on the first testing. Localization of these effects was made to subgroupings of items on the test. The results were discussed in theoretical and practical terms.