A Lifespan Longitudinal Analysis of Receptive Language

Abstract

Although normal aging is generally associated with cognitive decline, crystallized intelligence tends to improve with age. One type of crystallized intelligence is receptive language – the ability to comprehend spoken and written language. We investigated longitudinal change in receptive language ability using the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT) over a 2-10 year period in 697 participants ages 3-98. We found significant improvement from ages 3 to 57, no change from ages 57 to 65, and significant decline after age 65. Overall, we conclude that receptive language ability varies across the lifespan.