Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive relationship between nonverbal
intellectual functioning, language, and executive functioning in a sample of non-referred college
students. Participants included 51 undergraduate college students (17 male, 34 female) enrolled
in psychology courses at a Midwestern university. Nonverbal intellectual functioning was
assessed using the Leiter International Performance Scale, Third Edition (Leiter-3; Roid, Miler,
Pomplun, & Koch, 2013), specifically the Figure Ground, Form Completion,
Classifications/Analogies, and Sequential Order subtests, as well as the Nonverbal IQ composite.
The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fifth Edition (PPVT-5; Dunn, 2019) and Expressive
Vocabulary Test, Third Edition (EVT-3; Williams, 2019) were administered to assess receptive
and expressive language skills, respectively. Executive functioning was assessed using the Delis-
Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS; Delis, Kaplan, & Kramer, 2001), specifically the
Verbal Fluency, Color-Word Interference, and Trail Making Test subtests. The multiple
regression showed receptive language was the only predictor of Nonverbal IQ. The multivariate
regression showed receptive language was the only predictor of the Leiter subtests, specifically,
mental flexibility and nonverbal reasoning. The current results include considerations for
clinicians evaluating patients with various language and executive functioning deficits.
