Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment WISC TEST SCORES

I just received verbally the test scores for my DD. She had the test less than 2 weeks after turning 6 years old and I was wondering if that was to soon to have her tested using the WISC IV.

Her results were as follows.

WISC-IV
VCI 116 (she doesn't really speak to people she doesn't know)
PRI 133
WMI 144
PSI 115 (she tends to be a perfectionist and thinks
before she speaks)

Overall 134

No, it's not too early. It seems that your daughter has quite an impressive memory! I wouldn't worry about the lower processing speed-- it's not that unusual in scores I see posted here, and of course perfectionism would have a huge impact on the score.

The score to qualify for the gifted program in our county is 130. The tester has a child at the same school and knows my daughters teacher and knows that my daughter has issues with speaking to strangers and is a perfectionist and feels that is the reason the two scores were lower.

So she qualified, yes? Or does she need 130+ in VCI? If necessary, I guess you could engage in further testing in the short term using the SB-5. I often read recommendations against testing with the WPPSI so old.

But if not, if she's gotten the services you need, I wouldn't worry about the numbers. With gentle encouragement she should unlax after a bit, and you can retest later as desired. I've seen how traumatic testing can be for highly perfectionistic children, having one myself. If you can give her one, your daughter would probably do well with a decent break.

I'd consider letting your daughter know that she did well, despite holding back a bit on some of the verbal answers. This might help build up her self-confidence for next time. It's tougher to decide what to do about discussing any limitations on performance. One outcome might be that she learns from the experience and goes in with greater resolve for future testing, and scores better. But there's a potential downside, as she might feel like her refusal to answer was a successful avoidance mechanism.

It might be a good idea to ask the tester to include information on her perfectionism and reluctance to answer in the narrative part of the report.

She does qualify. The tester was very impressed with how she did on the test and her ability overall. I was just wondering about the scores for the future and if they were needed for other services. My daughter is she a sweet child and would blend in to the background if you let her. As her teacher said you know shes bright but don't know really how bright until you get to know her exactly how bright she really is.

I guess I'd say that if they aren't needed now, count yourself lucky, and cross that bridge when you come to it. Any depressed scores sound like they're the result of your daughter's emotional state on the day of the test, not that she was only weeks past the minimum age. Her emotional state on a retest might be pretty similar, until she undergoes some changes.

Her teachers might want to make a conscious effort to give her more wait time when they ask her a question in a class discussion. Her processing speed is way above average, but gifted class discussions may move a bit fast for her comfort. A teacher might give her a nonverbal signal that she's about to be called on (like pause in front of her desk), or say her name before she asks the question, then wait 30-60 seconds for her answer, in order to encourage her to participate.