The work of Ed Zigler spans decades of research all singularly dedicated to using science to improve the lives of children facing different challenges. The focus of this article is on one of Zigler's numerous lines of work: advocating for the practice of mental age (MA) matching in empirical research, wherein groups of individuals are matched on the basis of developmental level, rather than chronological age. While MA matching practices represented a paradigm shift that provided the seeds from which the developmental approach to developmental disability sprouted, it is not without its own limits. Here, we examine and test the underlying assumption of linearity inherent in MA matching using three commonly used IQ measures. Results provide practical constraints of using MA matching, a solution which we hope refines future clinical and empirical practices, furthering Zigler's legacy of continued commitment to compassionate, meaningful, and rigorous science in the service of children.

中文翻译：

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选择、挑战和限制：实证研究中心理年龄匹配局限性的务实检验

埃德·齐格勒 (Ed Zigler) 的工作跨越了数十年的研究，所有研究都致力于利用科学来改善面临不同挑战的儿童的生活。本文的重点是齐格勒的众多工作之一：倡导在实证研究中进行心理年龄（MA）匹配的实践，其中根据发育水平而不是实际年龄来匹配个体群体。虽然 MA 匹配实践代表了一种范式转变，为针对发育障碍的发展方法的萌芽提供了种子，但它并非没有其自身的局限性。在这里，我们使用三种常用的 IQ 测量来检查和测试 MA 匹配中固有的线性的基本假设。结果提供了使用 MA 匹配的实际限制，我们希望该解决方案能够完善未来的临床和实证实践，进一步弘扬齐格勒继续致力于为儿童服务的富有同情心、有意义和严谨的科学的遗产。