IDS-2 Product Range, Intelligence and Development Scales - 2nd Edition

Overview

November 2023: Now a BPS-registered test

The IDS-2 is a global cognitive assessment of the 'whole child', unparalleled in its ability to identify their knowledge, strengths, and developmental needs in one complete picture.

Find out more about IDS-2:

• Watch our short introductory video on Youtube here
• Visit www.ids-2.com for further information – including research publications, videos and more on the IDS-2’s features and framework
• Read the BPS test review, published 2023
• Download our guide on ordering, digital scoring and components
• Have a question? See our FAQs for IDS-2

Suitable for

Ages 5 years to 20 years and 11 months.

Language Versions

In addition to English, the IDS-2 is available or currently being adapted in Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish and Swedish.

Product Description

The second edition of the highly successful German IDS, first published in 2009, the IDS-2 provides in-depth information on the child’s strengths and developmental needs, enabling testers to identify with precision where support is needed to help them achieve their full potential.

The IDS-2 offers the most comprehensive diagnostic assessment available, with 30 subtests covering the six domains: two cognitive domains (Intelligence and Executive Functions) and four developmental domains (Psychomotor skills, Social-Emotional skills, Scholastic skills, and Motivation and Attitude).

Developed in a unique modular framework with child-friendly test materials, the IDS-2’s flexible design makes it easy to personalize the testing session. Booklets and record sheets are colour-coded for ease of use and scoring is conducted online for convenience and accuracy.

The IDS-2 can be used across a variety of diverse applications, including identifying and helping to diagnose intellectual disabilities and learning disorders, evaluating cognitive and motor skills, and understanding emotional strengths and weaknesses.

The IDS-2 is valuable in the education sector to determine aptitude, assist with school enrolment or transition between primary and secondary, providing meaningful results to pinpoint specific actions and interventions.

The assessment measures:

• Intelligence – including IQ-Screening (2 tests), general intelligence (7 tests), and a complete IQ-Profile (14 tests)
• Executive Functions – including inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility
• Psychomotor skills
• Social-emotional skills
• Scholastic skills – including mathematical reasoning, reading and spelling
• Motivation and Attitude (for ages 11 to 20 years)

Kit includes:

• Theory and Administration Manuals
• Binders for Intelligence, Executive functions, and General Development
• Copies of each record form, test sheets and response booklets
• HTS online scoring credits
• Scoring templates, acetates and reading cards
• Box of nonverbal materials
• Kit case

Scoring and reporting

Scoring is done online through the Hogrefe Testsystem (HTS), eliminating errors and removing the need for manual scoring. No licence is necessary; a scoring credit is included with the purchase of each paper record form. Seven separate report options are available through HTS – including Intelligence, IQ-Screening, Executive Functions, General Development (for the 3 different age groups) and a General Profile.

How does the IDS-2 compare?

With the IDS-2, users will benefit from:

• a wider age range (extended to down to age 5;0 and up to 20;11).
• a complete battery that assesses both intelligence and development (across 6 modular domains and 30 subtests).
• coverage of every area of the CHC model of intelligence, instead of selected areas.
• more options for intelligence testing for greater flexibility – the IDS-2. provides general intelligence testing, an in-depth IQ profile, and quick IQ screening.
• smooth administration with a frustration-minimizing inversion rule, rather than a classical inversion rule.
• norms developed through state-of-the-art continuous norming, so users need not rely on small sub-samples for each age group.
• online scoring included with each purchase of the record forms.

Required qualifications:

The IDS-2 is designed for use by a psychologist or professional who has had training and/or experience in administering cognitive or developmental assessments to children and adolescents. Users in the UK would be required to:

• be registered with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist and/or be a Chartered Psychologist with the BPS; or
• be a paediatrician registered with the GMC; or
• have the protected title of Educational Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Forensic Psychologist, or Counselling Psychologist; or
• be an SpLD assessor (new for October 2023) – please see this page for full details and guidance.

Reliability

The reliability of the IDS-2 was established by measuring internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha and with additional test-retest studies during the development of the UK edition.

Test Validity

With respect to validity, several studies in German, Dutch and Italian were completed that showed very good correlations to other cognitive assessments (e.g. the WISC-V) and in the UK, we also found that to be true. As the IDS-2 also measures other areas that provide a fuller picture of the individual’s strengths and areas for development, good correlations were also found with assessments designed to measure those constructs (e.g. the BRIEF-2 for Executive Functions; the MABC-2 for Psychomotor Development; etc.).

Norms

The IDS-2 has been standardised on 1,367 children and adolescents aged 5;0 to 20;11 years in the UK. Standardisation testing was conducted by Oxford Brookes University in 2018–2020. There are norms for each year age group between 5;0 and 20;11. School half-year norms are also available – allowing highly accurate interpretations to be made.

Duration

The IDS-2 has a modular design so that each assessment session covers the areas needed in an individual way. Testing times (approximate) are:

• Intelligence: IQ screening (10 minutes); IQ general (50 minutes); IQ complete profile (90 minutes).
• Executive Functions (30 minutes).
• Psychomotor skills (20 minutes).
• Social-emotional skills (15 minutes).
• Scholastic skills (according to age 30-60 minutes).
• Motivation and Attitude (7 minutes).