Maximally efficient two-stage screening: Determining intellectual disability in Taiwanese military conscripts

Abstract

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to apply a two-stage screening method for the large-scale intelligence screening of military conscripts.

Methods:

We collected 99 conscripted soldiers whose educational levels were senior high school level or lower to be the participants. Every participant was required to take the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) assessments.

Results:

Logistic regression analysis showed the conceptual level responses (CLR) index of the WCST was the most significant index for determining intellectual disability (ID; FIQ ≤ 84). We used the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the optimum cut-off point of CLR. The optimum one cut-off point of CLR was 66; the two cut-off points were 49 and 66. Comparing the two-stage window screening with the two-stage positive screening, the area under the curve and the positive predictive value increased. Moreover, the cost of the two-stage window screening decreased by 59%.

Conclusion:

The two-stage window screening is more accurate and economical than the two-stage positive screening. Our results provide an example for the use of two-stage screening and the possibility of the WCST to replace WAIS-R in large-scale screenings for ID in the future.

Keywords:

• intellectual disability
• intelligence screening
• two-stage positive screening
• Wisconsin Card Sorting Test
• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant (numbers 9312) from the Medical Affairs Bureau, Ministry of National Defense, Taiwan. The authors would also like to acknowledge all researchers who assisted in this study.