Gifted Issues Discussion homepage
Posted By: ncal difference between VCI and PRI - 05/10/10 04:25 PM
We received DS8 WISC IV report, and are fairly pleased with the results. However, we are a little concerned with the difference between the VCI and PRI scores. He had WPPSI when he was 5. The difference between the Verbal and Non-Verbal sections was also 30 points. We were told the difference was a concern and should have his vision checked first. Long story short, after a round of vision therapy, we were told he had no more vision-motor issues. We had him do the WISC IV recently and hoped to see more even scores. Here is the result we got:
VCI - 158
PRI - 123
WMI - 152
PRI - 112

I have two questions. Your help is greatly appreciated.
1. What does *lower* PRI score mean in terms of his ability?
2. What does the large difference imply? LD?
Posted By: Dazed&Confuzed Re: difference between VCI and PRI - 05/10/10 04:54 PM
I've not read any data that a large spread between VCI and PRi indicates an LD. Perhaps the other more seasoned posters can shed some light on that. The large difference though indicates that you should not calculate a Full Scale IQ. I think you need the subtest scores for each of those and see if a specific subtest caused a lower score for that domain. I have read that high VCI kids have algebra as a strength and high PRI kids have Geometry as a strength. It's all relative. 123 for PRI is a great score just looks low compared to the WHOPPING 158 for VCI.

There is a blog, The More CHild, and she had a blog entry some time ago about High VCI kids and what it means for their education. A teacher friend it explained it to me that having someone explain something to me at the level they'd use for a elementary or middle school child. My son had a higher VCI, mid 140s I believe and she said to think of this way. He can handle explanations, directions, text similar to a middle to high school student but he spends his day getting those things at the level of an average 2nd grader ie more simple language, lots of repetition, saying the same thing 3 different ways.

Dazey
Posted By: Dazed&Confuzed Re: difference between VCI and PRI - 05/10/10 05:36 PM
What Dottie said! 8-)
Posted By: ncal Re: difference between VCI and PRI - 05/10/10 05:53 PM
Hello, Dazey and Dottie. Thank you so much for the insight. Here are the breakdowns:
VCI -
similarities - 21
vocabulary - 19
comprehension - 18

PRI -
block design - 13
picture concepts - 14
matrix reasoning - 14

WM -
Digit Span - 15
Arithmetic - 23

PSI -
Coding - 10
Symbol Search - 14

Your algebra, geometry, 3-D descriptions are very accurate. DS hasn't done too much of 3-D geometry, but he does have to work hard on problems such as find all sides of a cube if different views of the cube are given. He just does not like those kinds of problems. Lately, he resulted to make a cube, put post-it on the sides to figure out shocked

Dottie, you are amazing. You got the subtest scores based on one PRI score! DS is a happy kid most of the time. I guess I won't worry too much until a problem presents itself.
Posted By: asiral Re: difference between VCI and PRI - 05/10/10 07:14 PM
There are really no problems with this profile. He most likely won't enter history but he can certainly handle any middle class professional job because he doesn't really have any "significant" weaknesses which hold him back. His weakest score is at the 50th %ile (Coding) and that's the one which tests on-the-spot acquisition of new information, meaning the ability to memorize symbol-digit associations on the fly. So yes, he is not the lucky one who doesn't need to study at all, but neither does he have to study harder than most of his classmates. The weaker Block Design points to more average analysis-synthesis ability, meaning the ability to correctly cut-up the given visual whole into parts. However, again, it's not weak and thus won't hold him back as far as having an intellectually, socially and financially fulfilling life.
Posted By: snowgirl Re: difference between VCI and PRI - 05/10/10 08:34 PM
Originally Posted by asiral
There are really no problems with this profile. He most likely won't enter history but he can certainly handle any middle class professional job because he doesn't really have any "significant" weaknesses which hold him back. His weakest score is at the 50th %ile (Coding) and that's the one which tests on-the-spot acquisition of new information, meaning the ability to memorize symbol-digit associations on the fly. So yes, he is not the lucky one who doesn't need to study at all, but neither does he have to study harder than most of his classmates. The weaker Block Design points to more average analysis-synthesis ability, meaning the ability to correctly cut-up the given visual whole into parts. However, again, it's not weak and thus won't hold him back as far as having an intellectually, socially and financially fulfilling life.

IMO, all this is a lot more than I would read into any set of scores (e.g. the amount a person may or may not have to study or what level of profession, etc.).

Also, I disagree with this description of coding, which requires motor output, and is related to the ability to rapidly take notes and complete timed written activities.

just my two cents
Posted By: asiral Re: difference between VCI and PRI - 05/10/10 08:45 PM
Yes, you are right about my getting carried away with the interpretation. I genuinely apologize. I guess I partially base it on my awareness of my own strengths and weaknesses, how that translated when I took the WAIS III and what caused the lower scores in my case.
© Gifted Issues Discussion Forum