Validation of a Screening Scale for Borderline Intellectual Functioning among University Students

Abstract

This study validated a self-report screening checklist for identifying borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) among university students. The 37-item instrument was adapted from a parent-report checklist originally developed for middle and high school students and modified to reflect the context of university life. 1,200 university students nationwide participated in the study. Criterion-related validity analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), multi-group CFA, and latent mean analysis were conducted. The checklist showed high correlations (.608–.916) with the subdomains of the parent-report checklist and an executive functioning scale, demonstrating robust criterion-related validity. CFA supported a four-factor structure—cognitive, language, socio-emotional, and coping behavior—with acceptable model fit (CFI = .944, TLI = .919, SRMR = .038) and all factor loadings statistically significant. Multi-group analyses across academic years established configural, metric, and scalar invariance. Latent mean comparisons revealed no substantial differences across grade levels, with non-significant or trivial effect sizes. These findings indicate that the checklist possesses sound structural validity and reliability as a self-report screening tool for university students with BIF. The absence of meaningful grade-level differences further suggests that a single normative standard may be applied in screening practice rather than establishing separate norms by academic year.