ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

The purpose of this study is to examine the heterogeneity of cognitive functioning within intellectual disability(ID) by comparing cognitive profiles of preschool children with mild ID and moderate ID. Participants were 65 children diagnosed with ID, including 33 with mild ID and 32 with moderate ID. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Korean Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence–Fourth Edition (K-WPPSI-IV, ages 4:0–7:7). The results are as follows. First, the mild ID group scored significantly higher Full Scale IQ and all index scores than the moderate ID group. The index scores of both groups were within the “extremely low” range. Second, a chi-square analysis comparing group and individual cognitive profiles revealed a significant difference between the two groups. Among children with moderate ID, 65.6% showed individual profiles consistent with their group profile, whereas only 15.2% of the mild ID group demonstrated such correspondence. Third, chi‑square analyses comparing the frequency of index scores at or above the borderline level (≥70) revealed that the mild ID group showed a higher proportion of scores in this range than the moderate ID group across all indices except Verbal Comprehension. These findings indicate differences in cognitive functioning between the mild ID and moderate ID and substantial within-group individual variability. Furthermore, the mild ID demonstrated relative strengths in Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed, whereas delays in Verbal Comprehension were consistently observed across both the mild ID and moderate ID groups.

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