Essentials of WPPSI-IV Assessment

Essentials of WPPSI™-IV Assessment

Contents

Series Preface

Acknowledgments

One: Overview

HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENT

HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE WPPSI-IV

DEVELOPMENT OF THE WPPSI-IV

Key Revisions

Subtests

Composite Scores

Test Structure

Subtest Composition of Published Composite Scores

Additional Index Scores in This Book and on the Accompanying CD

VALIDITY

Factor Analytic Studies

Relation to WPPSI-III

STANDARDIZATION AND PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES

Reliability

Loadings on the General Factor

Subtest Specificities

COMPREHENSIVE TEST REFERENCES

REFERENCES

Two: WPPSI-IV Administration

TEST MATERIALS

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING RAPPORT WITH VERY YOUNG CHILDREN

STANDARD SUBTEST ADMINISTRATION ORDER

SELECTION OF SUBTESTS

SUITABILITY AND FAIRNESS

Assessing Children at the Extremes of the Age Range

Assessing Children With Special Needs

START POINTS, REVERSE RULES, AND DISCONTINUE RULES

Start Points

Reverse Rules

Discontinue Rules

TIMING

DEMONSTRATION, SAMPLE, AND TEACHING ITEMS

REPETITIONS, PROMPTS, AND QUERIES

Repetitions

Prompts

Queries

RECORDING RESPONSES

SUBTEST-BY-SUBTEST ADMINISTRATION

Verbal Comprehension Subtests

Visual Spatial Subtests

Fluid Reasoning Subtests

Working Memory Subtests

Processing Speed Subtests

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: SUBTEST ADMINISTRATION

REFERENCES

Three: WPPSI-IV Scoring

SCORING SUBTESTS

Verbal Comprehension Subtests

Visual Spatial Subtests

Fluid Reasoning Subtests

Working Memory Subtests

Processing Speed Subtests

WPPSI-IV SCORES

Item Scores

Total Raw Scores

Standard Scores

STEP-BY-STEP: WPPSI-IV SUBTEST AND COMPOSITE SCORES

Obtain Total Raw Scores

Obtain Scaled Scores

Obtain Sums of Scaled Scores

Obtain Composite Scores

USING THE WPPSI-IV SCORING ASSISTANT

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: SCORING

REFERENCES

Four: WPPSI-IV Score Analysis and Interpretation

UNDERSTANDING THE COMPOSITE SCORES

Global Composite Scores

Specific Composite Scores

Additional Index Scores in This Book

STEP-BY-STEP WPPSI-IV SCORE ANALYSIS TO INFORM INTERPRETATION

Step 1a. Select the Appropriate Global Composite Score to Describe Overall Intellectual Ability

Step 1b. Report and Describe the Global Composite Score

Step 2a. Report and Describe the Cognitive Proficiency Index for Ages 4:0 to 7:7 (Perform Step 2 Only If the General Ability Index Was Selected as the Global Score; Otherwise, Proceed to Step 3)

Step 2b. If the General Ability Index Was Selected as the Global Score, Evaluate Pairwise Discrepancy Comparisons With the Full Scale IQ (2:6 to 7:7) and the Cognitive Proficiency Index (4:0 to 7:7 Only)

Step 3a. Select the Index Scores (Specific Composite Scores)

Step 3b. Report and Describe the Index Scores

Step 4. Report and Describe the Subtest Scaled Scores

Step 5a. Select the Index-Level Strengths and Weaknesses Comparison Score

Step 5b. Evaluate Index-Level Strengths and Weaknesses Comparisons

Step 6a. Select the Subtest-Level Strengths and Weaknesses Comparison Score(s)

Step 6b. Evaluate Subtest-Level Strengths and Weaknesses

Step 7. Evaluate Index-Level Pairwise Comparisons

Step 8. Evaluate Subtest- and Process-Level Pairwise Comparisons

REFERENCES

Five: Strengths and Weaknesses of the WPPSI-IV

ASSETS OF THE WPPSI-IV

Fairly Easy Administration

Better Alignment With Current Wechsler Scales

Limitations to Subtest Substitution

Clearer Distinction Between the Perceptual Reasoning Subtests—Split Between Visual Spatial and Fluid Reasoning

Inclusion of Ancillary Index Scales

More Developmentally Appropriate Processing Speed Tests (Bug Search and Animal Coding)

New Working Memory Tasks (Picture Memory and Zoo Locations)

Efficient Testing Time

Something’s Lost and Something’s Gained

Generally Easy Scoring

Additional Interpretive Information

Normative Sample

Reliability

Evidence of Validity

Evidence of Validity With Special Groups

Start Points

Update of Materials, Artwork, and Record Form

Streamlining of Discontinue Rules, Start Points

WEAKNESSES

Sum of Scaled Scores for Determination of FSIQ

Lack of Full Cattell-Horn-Carroll Coverage

Core Versus Supplemental Subtests

Possible Interpretive Confusion Because of Index Name (Working Memory)

Inclusion of Ancillary Scales

More Cumbersome Administration With Inclusion of Zoo Locations and Object Assembly

Dauber and Template Issues

Issues With Subtest Administration and Instructions

Determining S andWBased on Only the Core Subtests

FINAL COMMENT

REFERENCES

Six: WPPSI-IV Score Differences Across Demographic Groups

INTRODUCTION

SCORES BY SEX

SCORES BY PARENT EDUCATION LEVEL

SCORES BY RACE/ETHNICITY

African American Children

Hispanic Children

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF SCORE DIFFERENCES

REFERENCES

Seven: WPPSI-IV Clinical Applications

USE OF THE WPPSI-IV WITH COMMON EARLY CHILDHOOD REFERRAL QUESTIONS

Children With Intellectual Giftedness

Children With Intellectual Disability

Children With Developmental Delay—Cognitive and Developmental Risk Factors

Children With Preliteracy Concerns

Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Disruptive Behavior

Children With Expressive Language Disorder and Mixed Receptive–Expressive Language Disorder

Children Who Are English Language Learners

Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

COMPARISONS OF THE GENERAL ABILITY INDEX TO THE FULL SCALE IQ AND THE COGNITIVE PROFICIENCY INDEX FOR THE SPECIAL GROUP SAMPLES

COMPARISON OF THE WORKING MEMORY INDEX TO THE PROCESSING SPEED INDEX FOR THE SPECIAL GROUP SAMPLES

CLINICAL SAMPLES WITH RELATIVELY HIGH OR LOW SCORES ON THE PROCESSING SPEED INDEX

ISSUES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD INTELLECTUAL ASSESSMENT

REFERENCES

Eight: Illustrative Case Reports

CASE REPORT: GEORGE R.—INTELLECTUAL GIFTEDNESS AND HIGH ACHIEVEMENT

Identifying and Demographic Information

Referral Questions

Evaluation Methods and Procedures

Background and History

Mental Status and Behavioral Observations

Test Results and Interpretation

Summary and Impressions

Recommendations

CASE REPORT: JANE B.—PRELITERACY CONCERNS

Identifying and Demographic Information

Referral Questions

Evaluation Methods and Procedures

Background and History

Mental Status and Behavioral Observations

Test Results and Interpretation

Summary and Impressions

Recommendations

REFERENCES

About the CD-ROM

Author Index

Subject Index