Named tests
KBIT-2: Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition
In short
The KBIT-2 is the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition, a short Pearson test for ages 4 to 90 that takes about 20 minutes. It reports Crystallized (Verbal), Fluid (Nonverbal) and IQ Composite standard scores with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. Pearson says it is going out of print, replaced by the KBIT-2 Revised.
Want your own number? The test is 25 visual puzzles, about 12 minutes, no sign-up.
What the KBIT-2 is
The KBIT-2 is a brief intelligence test. Pearson lists it for ages 4:0 to 90:0, taking approximately 20 minutes, and administered from an easel, the flip-book an examiner uses to show items one at a time (Pearson: KBIT-2).
Pearson also says the KBIT-2 is going out of print and that a KBIT-2 Revised is now available (Pearson: KBIT-2). We have not confirmed the revised edition's ages, length or publication year, so this page describes the KBIT-2. If you have a recent report, check which edition was used.
What it measures
The KBIT-2 reports three standard scores (Pearson: KBIT-2):
| Score | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Crystallized (Verbal) | Knowledge and reasoning that depend on language and learning |
| Fluid (Nonverbal) | Reasoning with new, mostly visual problems |
| IQ Composite | The combined overall score |
The two scales follow Raymond Cattell's 1963 distinction between fluid intelligence, reasoning with novel material, and crystallized intelligence, acquired knowledge (Wikipedia: Fluid and crystallized intelligence). The fluid vs crystallized guide explains why the two are reported separately.
Scoring
All three KBIT-2 scores are standard scores with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15 (Pearson: KBIT-2), the same scale the Wechsler tests use. A KBIT-2 IQ Composite of 115 is one standard deviation above the mean, higher than about 84% of same-age people.
Every score carries measurement error, and clinical manuals report a confidence interval rather than a single exact value (Wechsler, 2008). A brief test also samples fewer tasks than a full battery, so it gives a less detailed picture of strengths and weaknesses.
Brief tests vs full batteries
The trade-off is time against detail. The KBIT-2 takes about 20 minutes and reports two scales plus a composite. The seven subtests behind a WAIS-5 Full Scale IQ take about 45 minutes, and its ten primary index subtests about 60, producing five index scores (Pearson: WAIS-5). The RIAS-2, another shorter battery, takes about 20 to 25 minutes for its intelligence assessment (PAR: RIAS-2).
| Test | Ages | Intelligence testing time |
|---|---|---|
| KBIT-2 | 4:0 to 90:0 | about 20 minutes |
| RIAS-2 | 3 to 94 | about 20 to 25 minutes |
| WAIS-5 (Full Scale IQ) | 16:0 to 90:11 | about 45 minutes |
Retesting and practice
Scores rise on a second try. Across studies, retaking a cognitive ability test raises scores by about a quarter of a standard deviation on average, roughly 4 IQ points, and more when the same form is reused (Hausknecht et al., 2007). That is worth knowing if a brief test is repeated soon after a first one.
KBIT-2 items are not public. If you want to try nonverbal reasoning with original items, our free nonverbal reasoning test and matrix puzzles are a place to start. They are not KBIT-2 items, and no IQ Octopus score predicts a KBIT-2 score. For the full range of test families, see types of IQ tests.
IQ Octopus is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pearson or any other publisher named here. Test names are used only to identify and describe the tests. Our free practice tests are not copies of any published test, and no score on IQ Octopus predicts a score on another test.
Try one · Logical Reasoning
Which tile completes the second pair?
Tap the option you think is right, or show the answer.
Show the answer
The missing panel shows a small solid circle, with small solid shapes: a diamond at the bottom-left corner and a diamond at the bottom (option 1).
How to solve it
- Compare the first two panels and name exactly what changed.
- The main shape and the small shapes swap forms: the main shape takes the form of the small ones, and the small ones take the form of the main shape.
- Nothing else changes.
- Apply the same change to the third panel: a small solid diamond, with small solid shapes: a circle at the bottom-left corner and a circle at the bottom.
- So the missing panel shows a small solid circle, with small solid shapes: a diamond at the bottom-left corner and a diamond at the bottom.
That was 1 puzzle. The full test has 25.
Sources
- Pearson. Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition (KBIT-2), product page. www.pearsonassessments.com/store/en/usd/p/100000390.html
- Fluid and crystallized intelligence. Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_and_crystallized_intelligence
- Pearson. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fifth Edition (WAIS-5), product page. 2024. www.pearsonassessments.com/store/usassessments/en/Store/Professional-Assessments/Cognition-%26-Neuro/Wechsler-Adult-Intelligence-Scale-%7C-Fifth-Edition/p/P100071002.html
- Reynolds, C. R., & Kamphaus, R. W. Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales, Second Edition (RIAS-2), PAR product page. www.parinc.com/products/RIAS-2
- Wechsler, D. (2008). WAIS-IV Technical and Interpretive Manual. Pearson.
- Hausknecht, J. P., Halpert, J. A., Di Paolo, N. T., & Moriarty Gerrard, M. O. (2007). Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(2), 373-385. doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.2.373