Parents won't tell me my IQ?

Question

I took an indepth adult IQ test about a month ago, and supposedly I scored unbelievably high... high enough to get into MENSA. The problem is, the person who tested my IQ wouldn't tell me what I actually scored, and my parents won't tell me either.
I feel as if I have a right to know, because it's my IQ and I spent 6 hours getting tested... the problem is, I'm only 16 so it's not as if I can go and check my file or anything.
Do you think I should be allowed to know, and/or there is a way I could possibly find out? If you think I shouldn't be allowed, could you tell me why you think that?
Thank you!

Just to throw this out there, yes, my IQ was tested to check if I had a learning disability. Turns out I have ADD. =/ I know my parents aren't hiding it from me because I scored badly, since I was entitled to ask my tester a few questions and I asked if my IQ was higher than it was when I was tested in first-grade... the answer was yes. I don't think my tester would lie to me either, since during testing I only missed a few things.

Answer 1

Actually, they can not legally keep it from you. Demand it, in writing.

Answer 2

There are no IQ tests that diagnose ADD, nor do I know of any IQ tests in practice that are 6 hours long. I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you lying? Also, if you were thought to have learning disabilities you should have been tested a long time ago.

That and the only tests you are not legally allowed to see your score on are IQ tests given out by IQ societies (IE mensa).

What test is this? 6 hours long? The imaginary test? If this is true you've been shafted because they cannot determine if you are ADD based on an IQ test they've given you.

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume maybe your state uses achievement to IQ test comparisons to look for a learning disability. There is still no way this would take 6 hours, and this is NOT used to diagnose ADD! I suggest seeing another psychologist.

I personally also don't know of any psychologists that would perform a test on someone to test for learning disabilities that tests a range high enough to qualify for mensa. Tests used for learning disabilities test just that...they do not have high ceilings.




I'd like to have more information about this if you are being serious.

Answer 3

I definitely think you should be allowed to know, as long as you realize that any one test only yields one result (but while the result could be somewhat different on other tests the result you got is probably accurate enough for your purposes). I believe your IQ is like your eye color - you have a right to know in view of the fact that you had it tested. If your parents see this as some kind of "big, important" information that needs to be kept a secret I am wondering if they don't understand IQ's (or high ones) well enough..

If you're a very strong and well adjusted person knowing your IQ isn't going to change you. You've probably had a pretty good idea that you're intelligent long before being tested. If you have any emotional issues there's a chance that knowing your IQ would help you understand yourself and those issues better.

MENSA (not a particularly appealing organization in my opinion because anyone with a good and high IQ knows how little it matters a good part of the time) takes people who are in the 98% percentile and up. You may want to know if you're "low-end" top two percent or high-end top two percent or even off the chart. There's a big range of IQ's in the top two percent of the population.

IQ testing tests a range of mental abilities and comes up with a composite score that reflects all the scores. It would be nice if the person conducting your testing would sit down with you and explain what you got on each type of test, what you're strongest in, etc.

The person who did the testing may have told your parents this is not information you should have. There are people who are professionals who may not necessarily have the right attitudes about minors, information, and/or IQ's. Maybe if you talk to your parents and ask if this professional recommended keeping the information from you you'd be able to then explain to them why that person was wrong. If your parents are the ones who think you shouldn't know you may want to try calling the person who did the testing, talking to him/her, and asking that he/she talks to your parents and reassures them that this isn't Earth-shattering, Top Secret, information that will change you; and that underestimating your ability to be able to maturely know a number but see it in the context of "the rest of life" is withholding information to which (morally anyway) you have a right.

One thing, though: There is some reason you went for six hours' worth of testing. If the testing was part of a whole psychological evaluation that resulted from any psychological issues you could be having there could be some legitimate reason someone thinks you're better off not knowing.

One thing to be aware of, though, and that is that very often people who have only nicely above average IQ's don't have a good understanding of how ok someone with a very high IQ can be. There can even be a little envy that makes people sometimes need to think a high IQ has more bad things associated with it than it really may.

To me, no matter what you "have going" psychologically or abilities-wise, you have a right to know. It would help you understand yourself better.

I don't mean to start trouble, but what if you went to the school counselor and tell them you had this whole, big, testing done and feel you have a right to the information it yielded. What if you tell them you feel people are operating behind your back and disregarding your simple wish to know what the results showed. The actions of your parents and the person who did the testing are not actions that will nurture your trust in any of those people, and feeling that stuff is going on behind our backs can make even healthy people feel a little paranoid. Maybe there's the chance a school counselor (or even a teacher) would try to speak on your behalf.

You know, there's a chance your parents could have very IQ's too but haven't been tested. Sometimes people who know they're intelligent but never get a number on it have their own emotional issues or even have no idea of how intelligent they are. There's also the chance your parents are (no disrespect intended) kind of ignorant about high IQ's and are operating out of that.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Actually, under HIPPA you are legally entitled to access your own medical records, IQ score included. You can go to the person who tested you and request a copy of your records. Alternatively, you could wait until your parents are out of the house and search then through their records draws for a copy of your test report :)

However, don't put too much weight in your IQ score. It tests every area of cognitive functions except the ones that are actually important to succeeding in life. I mean, if you want to go anywhere in academia you need creativity. If you want to succeed in any profession that involves interacting with customers, empathy is quite useful. I could go on, but the point is that an IQ score isn't terribly meaningful. Not that a good IQ score isn't something to be proud of, but I'm not sure that your parents and tester are necessarily wrong not to encourage you not to look at your score. They are, however, wrong to refuse to let you see it.

One thing, though, is why were you being tested in the first place? The most common reason people take an IQ test is to look for possible learning disabilities. The other reason is that they want to get into MENSA or the like, but as your parents won't even let you know your score I doubt that's the reason. If you WERE being tested for learning disabilities, and they determined that you do have one, your IQ score could still be very high, but it's even more meaningless than normal.

Answer 5

Your parents no doubt think they're doing you a favour or protecting you from getting a "big head" or becoming lazy at school or something.
I don't necessarily agree with them but I believe that's their reasoning.
I am a lapsed member of MENSA myself, and believe me -- a high IQ can help you succeed in life but it is a minor thing compared to strong values, work ethic etc.
If you would still like to try to convince your parents to tell you your IQ, try to figure out the reasons you would like to know it (not just the reasons you're entitled to know it) and talk to them about it.
If they still don't budge, I guess you'll have to wait a couple years.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

I think you are entitled to know. It's YOUR score. Information about you should not be kept from you, especially not the results of something you spent a lot of time doing. It's not fair of your parents to keep it from you and I don't understand why they refuse to tell you.

Answer 8

If you were my child I wouldnt hold that info from you unless you scored real low.

Why don't you take an IQ test online for fun and at least that way you can get an idea of what range you are in. I provided some links for you.

Answer 9

You can take IQ tests on-line and get an idea of your score.

Answer 10

You write to the testing facility that you want your score under the Freedom of Information Act and that the letter is confidential (so they don't notify your parents).

Answer 11

I can't stop laughing!!!
I bet you scored high and they're afraid!!
They don't know what to do with an Einstein, so they're keeping a lid on it. As if that'll help.
Good luck, don't worry, you're in good hands.