A Prelude to Understanding Cognitive Disabilities in Cattell-Horn-Carroll Framework

Harjit SINGH; Kok Hwee CHIA; Chee-Keong CHUA

doi:10.64663/aet.75

Authors

Harjit SINGH Merlion Academy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7234-7308
Kok Hwee CHIA Merlion Paediatric Therapy Clinic, Singapore https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3645-2602
Chee Keong CHUA Private Practice https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3069-2410

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64663/aet.75

Keywords:

CHC Theory, Cognitive Abilities, Cognitive disability, Intellectual disability

Abstract

This article is a prelude to the application of the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory in the assessment and intervention for school-age children with cognitive disabilities (CogDs). This is the most common disability type identified by special education officers, school counselors and/or psychologists among school-age children. CogDs (also known as intellectual disabilities or IDs for short) is a nebulous term that describes an individual who exhibits more than average difficulty with intellectual tasks. In defining CogDs, there are several overlaps between developmental and CogDs. These are broad terms used in literature but these labels do not indicate the level of ability or skills. Within the framework of cognition, there are four cognitive subcategories involving what are termed as (i) lexikos (ability to use and understand language and literacy skills), (ii) calculatos (ability to use and understand mathematics and numeracy skills), (iii) praxis (ability to perform voluntary skilled movements), and (iv) gnosis (ability to acquire knowledge and its meaning of self and the context in which self-engages). In each subcategory, there are two types of challenging cognitive issues: one is concerned with developmental delay (i.e., dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and dysgnosia), and the other is concerned with neurological lesion or injury (i.e., alexia, acalculia, apraxia and agnosia). In this article, the authors re-examined the framework of CogDs, and also its related four subcategories to the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of broad cognitive abilities.

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