Introduction to Testing Children and Administration of the WISC-IV

1. Introduction to Testing Children and Administration of the WISC-IV November 3, 2004

2. Tips for Interacting with Children • Before meeting the child, take a minute to think about the child’s age (or developmental level) and the interests that children have at that age. • Allay the child’s concerns before separating him/her from the parent. • Who are you and why are they here? • Where will parent wait? • Spend a few minutes building rapport before you start testing.

3. Tips for Interacting with Children: Encourage/Motivate • Adjust your style to fit the child’s developmental level. • Adjust your style to fit the child’s temperament. • Praise effort, not answers. • Don’t forget to smile! • Encourage children to “guess” when they say they don’t know. • Tell the child it is o.k. if they don’t know an answer.

4. Pay Attention to the Child’s Behavior (i.e., Stay in Control!) • Give clear simple directions (don’t ask, tell) • Set limits when necessary • When can the child talk? • When can the child take a break? • When can the child leave his/her seat. • If necessary, use a behavioral chart.

5. Verbal Comprehension Index Measures verbal knowledge and understanding acquired through both informal and formal education and reflects application of verbal skills to new situations. • Similarities • Vocabulary • Comprehension • (Information) • (Word Reasoning)* • Supplemental subtest that measures verbal comprehension, reasoning, and abstraction. • Ex: This is an animal that goes with “woof.”

6. Perceptual Reasoning Index Measures the ability to interpret and organize visually perceived material and to generate and test hypotheses. • Block Design • Picture Concepts* • Core perceptual reasoning subtest that measures fluid reasoning and abstract category knowledge. • Ex: chooses picture of an animal from each row. • Matrix Reasoning • (Picture Completion)

7. Working Memory Index Measures immediate memory and the ability to sustain attention, concentrate, and exert mental control. • Digit Span • Letter-Number Sequencing • (Arithmetic)

8. Processing Speed Index Measures the ability to process visually perceived nonverbal information quickly, with concentration and rapid eye-hand coordination. • Coding • Symbol Search • Cancellation* • Supplemental processing speed subtest that measures visual selective attention.

9. WISC-IV Standardization • N = 2,200 children • 11 age groups from 6 years 0 mos. to 16 years 11 mos. • 200 children in each age group (100 boys, 100 girls) • Matched to 2000 US Census Data on race, geographic region, and parent education. • Four geographic regions: • Northeast • South • Midwest • West

10. Relationship of WISC-IV IQ to Sex and Race/Ethnicity

11. Reliability: Test-Retest Stability

12. Administration Hints • Administration time for core battery: 1 – 1 ½ hours (90%) with more time needed for individuals with higher IQ. • If you suspect that the child has an intellectual deficiency, begin at the 6 year old level except for Coding and Symbol Search (use appropriate age form for these two subtests). • Reverse sequence of administration (when child does not get two in a row correct) is allowed for all VCI, PRI, and Arithmetic subtests. Other WMI and PSI tests do not use reverse sequence administration.

13. Administration Hints (cont.) • Start-Point Scoring Rule • Discontinue-Point Scoring Rule

14. Administration Hints (cont.) • Examinee familiarity with examiner • 11 point difference for ethnic minority children • Be careful to avoid creating expectation about a child!

15. Parent Reactions to the Diagnosis • Some view the diagnosis as similar to that of a “fatal” disease. • Stages of Reaction to Diagnosis: • Denial • Anger – aimed at professional or self • Mourning • Acceptance

16. Providing Feedback to Parents • Frame your feedback to answer the referral questions. • Explain IQ in terms that the parent can understand. Can draw a normal curve. • Don’t estimate what the child will be like as an adult! • It is o.k. to tell parents when you don’t know an answer. • Use people-first language – the child is not defined by his/her diagnosis.