Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment IQ test during ASD eval-Confused by scores

Tigerle the SB5 isn't used for things like ADHD and ASD diagnosis in Australia because a) an IQ test is not the gold standard for diagnosing either disorder, but b) when an IQ test is done the testers usually really want to see the WISC WMI and PSI tests. The SB5 is pretty good at hiding the weaknesses of some kids - the working memory test is quite different to the WISC (and often described as gentler or easier, though some would say it's simply different) and there is no equivalent to the PSI section of the WISC, which is really a very useful tool when used with other tests in the diagnostic process (for all manner of issues, not just ASD and ADHD).

Thanks momofthree. I think this might be relevant in the case of the OPs kid, given that the one hour the tester spent interacting with him was basically spent on nothing but giving that one IQ test. Just another thing that sounds like the eval wasn't performed according to professional standards and which calls the dx into question.

Just realized I never answered this question.

Nonverbal working memory involves motor responses, where verbal working memory does not (well, unless you count speaking as a predominantly motor response). Verbal working memory also uses relatively meaningful material (sentences), while nonverbal working memory uses mostly generic-looking blocks, which may not have as much intrinsic meaning. Vision/coordination would definitely have more potential for affecting the nonverbal working memory task than the verbal working memory task.

His strong verbal working memory would also accord with academic strengths in the basic skills that are the focus of the early elementary years, as well as with easily acquiring and retaining information.

Oh, and I forgot to ask if you knew if he was given the full SBV, or the SBV early childhood version, which only has tasks up to age 5.11? You would not be able to tell from the standard scores or subtest names, only from what the examiner reported about the test. Because if the latter, there may also be ceiling effects.

Just throwing my two cents into the mix. My daughter has an ASD diagnosis (Asperger's) and has had both the Stanford Binet and the WISC-IV done (the SB5 by her school and the WISC-IV privately). Her scores were not in the gifted range on the SB5, in fact she scored so completely average that I fully rejected them immediately. They did not fit with the child that taught herself to read at 3 and who starting writing her own illustrated stories at 5. The WISC-IV scores were 28 points higher and more in the range of what I would expect from my daughter. I don't think it is normal to see this much swing in IQ scores. This may be a function of her autism diagnosis. It did seem in her case that the WISC-IV was better able to measure her intelligence. I would look into the WISC-IV. Good Luck!

What about the DAS-II? The local autism center was using that measure of IQ in a research study, but I'm not sure why they chose that test. I don't know much about it, but I'm wondering if it might be more accurate for kids on the autism spectrum.