Long-Term Study Shows Average Increase of 7.48 IQ points between ages 12 and 23
IQ tests are standardized for each age group. For the general population, scores typically do not change over time. However, a recent British study showed that IQs rise with age for individuals with autism. This over a decade-long study involved 126 adolescents on the spectrum. The study’s participants, who ranged from severely intellectually disabled to intellectually gifted, were evaluated at ages 12, 16, and 23. After the study’s authors evaluated all three time intervaled test scores, the results were surprising. They showed an overall average IQ increase of 7.48 points. IQ gains were greatest in the individuals who had a history of early regression. This cohort showed a gain of 15.4 points compared to only 6.6 points in individuals without regression. During this same time period, autism symptoms in the study’s participants remained unchanged. An earlier SafeMinds Shares article from last summer looked into this study in more detail.
