WISC-R IQ Research Articles

Normative achievement assessment of gifted children: Comparing the K-ABC, WRAT, and CAT

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) purports to assess fluid and crystallized intelligence via processing and achievement subtests, respectively. Eight K-ABC Mental Processing and five K-ABC Achievement subtests were administered to 41 gifted students. Scores were subsequently compared to concurrent achievement measures from the California Achievement Test (CAT), as well as previously obtained mental ability measures (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised [WISC-R], Stanford-Binet [SB], and Wide Range Achievement Test [WRAT] achievement scores). In general, K-ABC mental ability scores were lower than WISC-R and SB IQs. K-ABC achievement scores were consistent with K-ABC mental ability scores, but more highly related to SB and WISC-R VIQ (r = .42 and .40, respectively) than to WISC-R FSIQ (r = .16) and PIQ (r = .09), or to the K-ABC Mental Processing (Composite r = .17), Simultaneous Processing (r = .08), and Sequential Processing scores (r = .20). With the exception of WRAT Word Recognition, WRAT, K-ABC, and CAT achievement scores were similar. The patterns of intercorrelations suggest that the K-ABC achievement scores are more verbally loaded than are the CAT and WRAT achievement measures.

The Test of Adolescent Language (TOAL) and WISC-R IQ Scores

The Test of Adolescent Language (TOAL) was administered to 3 groups of students, EMR, LD, and suspected gifted, all of whom had recent WISC-R IQ scores. TOAL ALQ scores were found to be significant...

Stability of WISC-R scores in a juvenile forensic sample.

The temporal stability of WISC-R IQ Scale and subtest scores was examined in a Juvenile Court sample comprised primarily of neglected youth (N = 36). Stability coefficients were calculated for an average test-retest span of more than 2 years. WISC-R IQ Scale subtest scores were found to be stable to a degree comparable with WISC-R standardization data despite the considerably longer test-retest interval. Stability coefficients were .88 for Verbal IQ, .86 for Performance IQ, and .93 for Full Scale IQ. Subtest stability coefficients range from .49 to .82; many coefficients are equal to or greater than .70. No practice effects were apparent.

A longitudinal comparison of the WISC-R and WAIS-R

The degree of comparability between the WISC-R and WAIS-R over time was assessed for two samples of referred adolescents of borderline intelligence intially administered a WISC-R and retested on the WAIS-R after three years. Results indicated that the WAIS-R significantly overestimated the WISC-R IQs by 3 to 5 points. Differences were most marked at the lower ability levels; as IQs aproached average, scores were increasingly comparable.

Effortful processing deficits in children with reading and/or attention disorders

Three groups of educationally troublesome boys were contrasted with adequate students on several tasks tapping effortful processing. The nonhyperactive reading disabled (RD) group differed both from controls and two attention deficit disorder (ADD) groups, one with and one without hyperactivity (H), on aspects of a memory task involving acoustic and semantic associations. All three clinical groups differed from controls in memory for low-imagery as opposed to high-imagery words and in computational efficiency. A stepwise regression analysis to predict reading grade level showed age and WISC-R IQ to account for 38% of the variance with an additional 28% explained by the effortful task variables (multiple R = .83). It is theorized here that attentional disorder impedes automatization of number facts; and, inasmuch as RD children receive adverse attention ratings, even if not considered hyperactive, they, as well as ADD and H/ADD boys, exhibit this deficiency.

A comparison of WISC-R and WAIS-R IQS in a mentally retarded residential population

Although typically regarded as equivalent instruments, the WISC-R and the WAIS-R yield significantly different Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs for an intellectually subaverage group, with the WAIS-R consistently providing higher scores. Implications of this “built-in” increment for issues of eligibility for educational placements and societal benefits are serious, and careful interpretation of IQs in the context of other relevant data is necessary.

Three-Year Stability of WISC-R IQs for Handicapped Children from Three Racial/Ethnic Groups

Score stability is an important psychometric quality of tests intended to measure relatively enduring characteristics such as intelligence. The purpose of the present study was to examine the long-term stability of WISC-R IQs (Full Scale, Verbal, and Performance) for a sample (N = 382) of male and female subjects from three racial or ethnic groups (Anglo, black, Mexican-American). The three-year stability coefficients for the varied sample of subjects (VIQ = .81, PIQ = .78, FSIQ = .85) compared well with those established with a three-week interval during the standardization of the WISC-R. Specific findings indicated that Anglo subjects' IQs were significantly more stable than those of blacks on all three IQ scales and also more stable than those of Mexican-Americans on the Performance and Full Scales. Sex of the subject had minimal influence on test score stability; only females' Verbal performances resulted in significantly larger stability coefficients than those of males. These and other results are discussed from educational, developmental, and psychometric perspectives.

The use of the Leiter International Performance Scale with autistic children.

This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using the Leiter International Performance Scale with autistic children and presents the results of a study comparing the performance of 18 autistic children on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised and the Leiter. The results showed a high positive correlation between the WISC-R full scale IQ, the WISC-R performance IQ, and the Leiter IQ. There was no significant difference between the mean Leiter IQ and the mean WISC-R performance scale IQ, but there was a significant difference between the mean Leiter IQ and the mean WISC-R full scale IQ. There was a low correlation between the WISC-R verbal IQ and the Leiter IQ, and the means were significantly different. Reading attainment scores correlated positively with both the WISC-R IQ and the Leiter IQ.

The WISC-R as a predictor of Woodcock-Johnson achievement cluster scores for learning-disabled students.

Intelligence and achievement test scores of 100 school-identified, learning-disabled boys were analyzed. WISC-R students were analyzed for strengths and weaknesses, and patterns were identified through factor analysis. The factor loadings, as well as WISC-R IQs, were used as predictor variables, and the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement cluster scores comprised the achievement variables. A stepwise multiple regression indicated that the most powerful intelligence predictor for all three areas of achievement was the WISC-R Performance IQ. Four factor patterns significantly increased the prediction of Woodcock-Johnson Written Language scores.

Comparison of California Test of Mental Maturity and WISC-R IQs among children suspected of being EMR or LD

The California Test of Mental Maturity, Short Form (CTMM-SF) and the WISC-R were compared in a sample of black and white children, ages 6-8 to 15-2 years, referred for learning problems. A 2 × 2 mixed ANOVA (Ethnicity and Test) indicated that ethnicity was the only significant effect, with black children obtaining lower scores than white children. All correlations between the two tests were significant, although they were higher for white children than for black children. The results indicate that the CTMM-SF has adequate criterion-related validity.

Preschoolers with language disorders: 10 years later.

Language, intelligence, academic achievement, and behavioral adjustment were assessed in a group of 20 adolescents originally studied 10 years earlier as preschoolers with language disorders. At follow-up, 20% had WISC-R IQ scores in the mentally deficient range and were being educated in EMR classrooms. Of the remaining 16, 11 (69%) had required special tutoring, grade retention, or LD class placement. The majority of non-EMR subjects continued to evidence persistent deficits in language and academic achievement and were rated by their parents as being less socially competent and having more behavioral problems than their peers. Of the initial preschool measures available, the Leiter was found to be the best single predictor of intelligence, language, class placement, and reading achievement in adolescence, although the NSST: Expressive subtest also was a strong predictor of adolescent language.

The Relationship between Reaction Time and Intelligence in Children

Measures of reaction time and movement time were compared with WISC-R IQ and subtest scores for 59 intellectually superior, elementary aged children. Results indicate an inverse relationship between measures of reaction time and intelligence. Reaction time measures differentially correlated with the WISC-R subtests as a function of subtest g-loadings. The correlations between the g-loadings and reaction time parameters were as high as 0.80 (P < 0.01). Implications for the practice of school psychology with respect to the measure and study of intelligence are impressive. If a content-free unbiased measure which provides an estimate of intelligence uncontaminated by practice or learning can be further developed employing the simple reaction-time apparatus, then eventual studies dealing with the modification of intelligence become more feasible.

Correlations between WISC-R IQS and Wide Range Achievement Test Grade Equivalents for Intellectually Gifted Students

The significant correlations between the WISC-R and the Wide Range Achievement Test for a sample of 90 gifted youth were .19 for the Full Scale IQ and Spelling grade equivalents and .18 for the Verbal IQ and Spelling and accounted for little common variance.

A longitudinal study of a hyperlexic child: Hyperlexia as a language disorder

The longitudinal study of a hyperlexic girl, A.E., is described. Although her WISC-R IQ was 58, her reading was significantly advanced for age and level of intellectual functioning. She was socially withdrawn and displayed repetitive and self-stimulation behaviors. At birth she weighed 1000 g and was 32 weeks gestational age. She had severe respiratory distress, seizures and apnea in the perinatal period. She had a history of significantly delayed development. although the delays were more pronounced in language than in perceptual motor skills. She demonstrated difficulties with semantic and syntactic processing of language and could read words and sentences of which she had little or no comprehension. The existence of reading in spite of severely disordered language suggests that reading may occur by visual and/or phonological routes but that semantic and syntactical processing of words is not essential.

Intelligence and learning of learning disabled adolescents under three conditions.

In further analysis of previously presented data Pearson correlations between scores on learning tasks and WISC-R IQs were computed for 90 adolescents diagnosed as learning disabled who had learned the hardness levels of 14 minerals under three conditions, keyword mnemonic, direct question, and free study. A statistically significant correlation of .44 was noted for students in the keyword condition vs .16 and .19 for free study and direct questions.

Validity of WISC-R IQS and factor scores in predicting achievement for Mexican-American children

Validity of WISC-R IQS and factor scores in predicting achievement for Mexican-American children

IQ discrepancies between the Binet and WISC-R in children with developmental problems.

Administered the Stanford-Binet and WISC-R to 121 children with developmental problems. Twenty-eight of the children received absolute differences of 12 points or greater between the Binet and WISC-R FSIQs, with a mean difference of 16.8 and range of 12 to 28 points. While most of these discrepancies were attributable to expected differences between the tests, there were 10 instances of complete incongruence between the Binet and all the WISC-R IQs. Clinical interpretations of four Binet/WISC-R discrepancy patterns were discussed.

Further investigation of comparability of the WISC-R and PPVT-R for children and youth referred for psychological services

Comparisons of the WISC-R and PPVT-R were made with 37 students (25 boys, 12 girls). Pearson product moments (r) and two-tail f-tests were employed in the data analysis. The sample ranged in age from 6-2 to 14-6, with a mean age of 10-1, and SD=2.6. There were no significant differences between the WISC-R IQs and PPVT-R standard scores. The PPVT-R did not correlate significantly with the WISC-R IQ scales.

Relationship among IQ, time needed for learning, and retention in children referred for behavior problems.

Peabody, Slosson, and WISC-R IQs were compared for 156 fourth- and fifth-grade boys, who were assigned to one of four groups based on behavior problems consistently exhibited in the classroom. On the average, Peabody and Slosson scores overestimated WISC-R Full Scale IQs by 10 points. Test performance was also correlated with a measure of time to learn, i.e., the number of trials needed to learn a unit of school-related material to 100% accuracy, and a measure of retention of the learned material. WISC-R IQs were generally more strongly related to time to learn than either Peabody or Slosson scores. The intercorrelations among these measures did not vary appreciably as a function of the children's primary behavioral characteristic.

Intratest and Intertest Reliability and Stability of the Wisc, Wisc-R, and Wais Full Scale Iqs in a Mentally Retarded Population

The reliability and stability of the Full Scale IQ scores of retarded adolescents and young adults on 3 Wechsler Scales were measured. For mean retest intervals ranging from about 1.75 to 3.5 years, intratest reliability and constancy were reasonably good, although a significant rise in mean IQ was found for the WISC-R retest. Intertest reliability was also inadequate, but intertest constancy was not. The mean WISC-R IQ was significantly lower than the mean WISC IQ, and both were dramatically lower than the mean WAIS IQ. Comparisons are made with previous findings and implications of these results are discussed.