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    #246835 02/18/20 09:12 AM
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    lily33 Offline OP
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    I have been diagnosed with ASD and DCD (dyspraxia/developmental coordination disorder). Last November I did some psychological testing which included the WISC-IV.

    They do not give out exact IQ scores in my WISC-IV scores

    We don�t get exact IQ scores, only ranges.


    Results of my WISC-IV testing:

    FSIQ: 120-129 �superior�

    Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI): 90-110 �Average� (additional info: highest subtest score in VCI was the Vocabulary subtest)
    Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI): 110-119 �High Average�
    subtests:
    Matrix Reasoning: 120-129 �Superior� or 130+ �Very superior�
    Block Design: 90-110
    Picture Concepts: 90-110

    Working Memory Index (WMI): 90-110 �Average�
    Digit Span: 110-119 �High Average�
    Letter-Number Sequencing: 90-110 �Average�

    Supplemental WMI test (not counted)
    Arithmetic: 120-129 �Superior� or 130+ �Very superior�

    Processing Speed Index: 120-129 �Superior�
    Coding: 90-110 �Average�
    Symbol Search: 130+ �Very Superior�

    What do you think of these scores and does my Symbol Search score match up with my autism or possible 2e?

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    aeh Offline
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    Welcome! I gather you are the young person whose parent posted under this screen name about (presumably) your testing a few months ago.

    Diagnosis is considerably more complex than just a few WISC subtest scores. Your evaluator will have used a richer set of data to come to the diagnostic formulations you name. Did they offer you any additional interpretation? That would be the first place to start.

    But as for the results you present, FWIW, here are some thoughts:

    Your overall cognition (FSIQ) is described as in the Superior range, which could be compatible with twice exceptionality (the upper 120s can be interpreted as in the MG or optimally gifted range, although since these are on very old norms this number is more likely to overstate your ability than to understate it). In your case, the second exceptionalities would be your ASD and DCD diagnoses.

    At the index (domain) level, it appears that your strength area is actually not a higher-level reasoning skill, but is in processing speed, especially when it is motor-reduced speed. Note Coding is much lower than Symbol Search, which, in the context of your other diagnosis of DCD, suggests that visual processing speed is probably a bit underestimated by the PSI. Strength or weakness in PSI is not necessarily related to ASD, so in answer to your specific question, this doesn't necessarily tell us anything about ASD. As I mentioned, the relative subtest weakness in Coding does, however, line up well with DCD.

    The second strongest domain is perceptual reasoning, with a noticeable difference between Matrix Reasoning and the other two subtests. A score at the border of Superior and Very Superior suggests that you do well with a certain kind of fluid or abstract nonverbal reasoning, with patterns going from whole to part (deductive reasoning). In contrast, you did not perform nearly as well on part-to-whole (inductive reasoning), on Picture Concepts. To be fair, I often see learners with very high cognition do relatively poorly (note: this isn't a bad score--just an Average one) on this one because they come up with plausible alternate solutions which can't be scored as accurate. So this score on its own might not be fully representative of your inductive reasoning skills. More on this later. Block Design also may have been affected by your motor coordination and motor speed skills. That's harder to tell just from a scaled score.

    Which is to say that High Average may be a lower limit on your actual perceptual reasoning abilities. Clinical observations from your evaluator would help with clarifying this.

    In the verbal area, you performed generally in the Average range, with your highest subtest in a concrete knowledge skill. This seems to support the idea that inductive reasoning really is not as strong as deductive reasoning for you, since the verbal reasoning tasks on the WISC-IV are an inductive reasoning/concept formation task (Similarities) and a social reasoning task (Comprehension). So first, it suggests that the Picture Concepts result may be a real one, and secondly, taken together with Picture Concepts, this may suggest that you are more of a top-down learner than a bottom-up learner.

    The remaining area is working memory, which has a range of scores. It appears that you did the best with the familiar task of solving oral arithmetic problems, and had the most difficulty re-organizing meaningless symbols. One could consider this consistent with your pattern of working better within a meaningful framework (big picture); apparently, you also remember better with context and structure. This may also mean that you have some stronger ability in math, and age-appropriate working memory. That would appear to be consistent with your general pattern of stronger nonverbal reasoning ability than verbal reasoning ability. Either or both of these explanations (or some other thing we haven't discussed) could be in play.

    A more nuanced interpretation of your results would be more likely if the other data from your evaluation was available (for example, academic achievement, speech and language, occupational therapy/visual processing). Sometimes posters don't like to put too much personal information out there, so if that's not something you and your family are comfortable with, please don't post it. Again, as I said to your parent, the first place I would go for more thorough explanation of your results would be your evaluator, who had access to a much richer range of clinical observations (having the benefit of seeing you in person, and in action).


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    lily33 Offline OP
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    Well, I was diagnosed at the age of 5 with both diagnoses. My most recent diagnosis is �unspecified anxiety disorder� which I got diagnosed with last year.

    Additional info included in the report:
    -A 15-year-old girl who has skipped a grade and is �very gifted� in math
    -has been taking math courses 2 grade levels above her actual grade (note. I self-studied calc 2)
    -Her mental state has been deteriorating recently because of mental illness

    Is there any possibility that the score was actually deflated? I was very anxious while taking the test. I have took another IQ test, it was called the WPPSI-R when I was 5.
    I scored 90ish back then. My highest scores back then were Information and Arithmetic.

    My country is behind on the tests, they don�t even use the WISC-V yet at all. My first language is Finnish so sorry if I have made mistakes while writing this text.

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    aeh Offline
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    My apologies for taking so long to notice and return to this. Were you assessed in your first language? Because if not, the verbal comprehension scores would be less indicative of your actual verbal cognitive abilities.

    And yes, it is possible that emotional conditions could have affected the accuracy of your testing data. Your strength areas on the WISC (even so) do correspond with your reported history of academic strengths in math.

    More importantly, I hope you are getting the mental health support that you need right now, especially with all that is going on in the world.


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