WISC-IV

WISC-IV
Similarities Block Design
Vocabulary Picture Concepts
Comprehension Matrix Reasoning
Information Picture Completion
Word Reasoning

FSIQ

Digit Span Coding

Letter-Number Seq. Symbol Search
Arithmetic Cancellation
 Verbal Comprehension Index
To better understand these you need to have knowledge in cognitive psychology

• Similarities:
– Abstract and concrete verbal reasoning and concept
formation.
• Vocabulary:
– Word knowledge and verbal concept formation
– Word fluency, ability to understand and use words, and level
of verbal experience.
• Comprehension:
– Verbal reasoning, verbal comprehension and verbal
expression
– Common sense, social knowledge, and judgment of practical
situations.
 Verbal Comprehension Index

• Information:
– Ability to recall knowledge acquired through cultural
exposure.
• Word Reasoning:
– Verbal abstract reasoning, concept formation, and
expression.
 Perceptual Reasoning Index

• Block Design: (Timed)

– Analyze and synthesize abstract visual stimuli
– Nonverbal concept formation, perceptual skills, and
visual-motor integration.

• Picture Concepts:
– Abstract and categorical reasoning ability, ability to use
verbal mediation to assist with a visual task.
 Perceptual Reasoning Index
Core

• Matrix Reasoning:
– Good measure of nonverbal intelligence, visual
processing and reasoning, as well as concentration and
attention to detail.

Additional

• Picture Completion:
– Ability to recognize familiar items and identify missing
parts, attend to detail and visualize part-whole
relationships
 Working Memory Index

• Digit Span:
– Auditory short term memory, sequencing skills, attention
and concentration
• Letter-Numbering Sequencing:
– Sequencing, mental manipulation, attention, short term
auditory memory, visual-spatial imaging and processing
speed
• Arithmetic:
– Mental calculations, attention, concentration on verbal
elements of the problem, mathematical process to solve
the problem at hand.
 Processing Speed Index
Children who have difficulties understanding new concepts in school, have a problem in processing speed

• Coding: (Timed)
– Short-term memory, learning ability, visual perception,
visual-motor coordination, visual scanning ability,
cognitive flexibility, attention and motivation.
• Symbol Search: (Timed)
– Processing speed, short-term visual memory, visual-
motor coordination, cognitive flexibility, visual
discrimination and concentration.
• Cancellation:
– Speed in visual processing and selective attention.
 What do the Different Types of Scores Mean?

SCALED SCORES

1. Scaled score from 1-4 is described as exceptional weakness, very

poorly developed, or far below average with a corresponding
percentile rank of 1-2.
2. Scaled score from 5-7 is described as weakness, poorly developed,
or below average with a corresponding percentile rank of 5-16.
3. Scaled score from 8-12 is described as average with a
corresponding percentile rank of 25-75.
4. Scaled score from 13-15 is described as strength, well developed,
or above average with a corresponding percentile rank of 84-95.
5. Scaled score from 16-19 is described as exceptional strength, very
well developed, or superior with a corresponding percentile rank
of 98-99.
 What do the Different Types of Scores Mean?

COMPOSITE SCORES
Mean=100, Standard Deviation=15

– 130 and above = Very Superior

– 120-129 = Superior
– 110-119 = High Average
– 90-109 = Average
– 80-89 = Low Average
– 70-79 = Borderline
– 69 and Below = Extremely Low
 WISC-IV Profile Analysis

• Inter-Individual: Compare the child's score to other children of the same age
– Compare child’s score patterns to normative group
• Intra-Individual:
– Compare child’s score patterns across subtests and
composite scores

• Any hypotheses about a child’s profile must be

corroborated or refuted by other outside
information (Checklist Information, Teacher’s
clinical
interview, Information, Other Tests…) Ameasures
test on its own is never enough because it
only a sample of behavior
 FSIQ

• The Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) is derived from a

combination of ten subtest scores and is
considered the most representative estimate of
global intellectual functioning.
 VCI

• The Verbal Comprehension Index is designed to

measure verbal reasoning and concept formation.
 PRI

• The Perceptual Reasoning Index is designed to

measure nonverbal concept formation, visual
perception and organization, simultaneous
processing, visual-motor coordination, learning,
and the ability to separate figure and ground in
visual stimuli.
 WMI

• The Working Memory Index is designed to measure

attention, concentration, and mental control.
• Mental control is the ability to attend to and hold
information in short-term memory while performing
some operation or manipulation with it.
• Academic difficulties may be related to weakness in
mental control. This pattern is more common among
children who are experiencing academic difficulties
in the classroom than among those who are not.
 PSI

• The Processing Speed Index is designed to measure the

rapidity of mentally processing simple or routine
information without making errors.
• Performance on this task may be influenced by visual
discrimination and visual-motor coordination.
• Because learning often involves a combination of routine
information processing (such as reading) and complex
information processing (such as reasoning), a relative
weakness in the speed of processing routine
information may make the task of comprehending novel
information more time consuming and difficult.
Report Writing

WISC-IV
 What to Include in a Report?

• Examinee’s Name
• Age
• Date of Birth
• Gender
• Report Date
• Grade
• Ethnicity
• Examiner’s Name
• Test Administered
• Age at Testing
• Scores Summary (WISC–IV SCALE SCORE)
– Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)
– Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI)
– Working Memory Index (WMI)
– Processing Speed Index (PSI)
– Full Scale IQ (FSIQ)

• Reason for Referral Anything related

• Home (Family, Siblings, Problems…)
• Language
• Development (Birth, developmental milestones…)
• Sensory/Motor Status(vision, hearing…)
• Medical/Psychiatric/Neurological Status
• Medication/Substance Abuse
• Educational History (change of school, academic
performance, academic difficulties…)
• Behavioral Observations
 Interpretation of WISC-IV Results

• How many subtests were administered?

– Fifteen subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for
Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) from which
composite scores are derived. For the subtests:
Mean = 10
SD = 3

When Interpreting Results, Include:

• Most reliable score
• Report standard score, confidence intervals &
percentile rank
• Include descriptive category
• Full Scale IQ
– Report standard score, confidence intervals & percentile
rank
– Include descriptive category
– Example:
• The Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) is derived from a combination of ten
subtest scores and is considered the most representative
estimate of global intellectual functioning.
• Child’s general cognitive ability compared to the Average range
of intellectual functioning, as measured by the FSIQ.
• Her overall thinking and reasoning abilities exceed those of
approximately 42% of children her age (FSIQ = 97; 95% confidence
interval = 92 – 102).
• Verbal Comprehension Index
– Child’s verbal reasoning abilities as measured by the Verbal
Comprehension Index compared to his peers.
– Example: in the average range and above those of
approximately 61% of her peers (VCI = 104; 95% confidence
interval = 97 – 101).
• Perceptual Reasoning Index
– Child’s nonverbal reasoning abilities as measured by the
Perceptual Reasoning Index compared to his peers.
– Example: in the Average range and above those of
approximately 55% of her peers (PRI = 102; 95% confidence
interval = 94 – 109).
• Working Memory Index
– Child’s working memory abilities as measured by the Working
Memory Index compared to his peers.
– Example: in the Low Average range but above those of only
18% of her peers (WMI = 86; 95% confidence interval = 79 –
95).
• Processing Speed Index
– Child’s speed of processing abilities as measured by the
Working Memory Index compared to his peers.
– Example: in the Average range and those of approximately 27%
of her peers (PSI = 91; 95% confidence interval = 83 - 101).
• Intra-Individual Strengths and Weaknesses
– Best Performance and Lower Score
– Differences
 Summary
A summary is important because some people only read the summary

• Child’s Name is a X-year-old child who completed

the WISC–IV. She / He was referred by her
psychologist, Dr. Name, secondary to experiencing
academic difficulties.
• Her / His general cognitive ability, as estimated by
the WISC–IV, is in the Low Average, Average, or High
Average range when compared to her/his peers
(FSIQ = A). Child’s Name verbal abilities were in the
Low Average, Average, or High Average range (VCI =
B), and nonverbal reasoning abilities were in the Low
Average, Average, or High Average range (PRI = C).
 Recommendations

• School
• Family
• Therapy
• This report is valid only if signed by a qualified
professional:
___________________________________________
• [Examiner Signature]