A K-ABC and WISC-R comparison for Latino learning-disabled children of limited english proficiency

Abstract

This study examined the performance of Latino learning-disabled children of limited English proficiency on the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R). Correlational procedures and direct comparisons were used. Forty-two children from the far south of Texas participated in this study. The WISC-R Full Scale IQ was significantly lower than the K-ABC Mental Processing Composite ( t = 4.91, p < .001). The Full Scale IQ and the Mental Processing Composite standard scores correlated .63 ( p < .001). All subscales of the WISC-R and the K-ABC correlated significantly except the K-ABC Sequential scale, which failed to correlate significantly with any WISC-R scales. This sample had particular difficulty with the WISC-R Verbal scale and the K-ABC Achievement scale (means = 68.14 and 67.67, respectively). Claims of construct validity for the K-ABC are upheld. This sample's difficulty with sequential processing is discussed.