Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment WISC IV - huge subtest range and large VCI/PRI gap

I posted these a while ago but still need more input/analysis. Here are my daughter's (age 10) scores:

WISC IV scores:

Verbal Comprehension 134
Similarities 14
Vocabulary 15
Comprehension 18

Perceptual Reasoning 104
Block Design 11
Picture Concepts 7
Matrix Reasoning 14

Working Memory 135
Digit Span 19
Letter-Number Sequencing 13

Processing Speed 106
Coding 12
Symbol Search 10

Full Scale IQ 125 (but noted that too much scatter to really measure)

Other notes:

1. She is excellent socially. NLD/Aspergers not indicated.

2. She performs "average" in district-wide math testing, but in the 99th
percentile on all subtests given (including numerical operations and mathematics reasoning) on the WIAT. However, her verbal and non-verbal OLSAT scores were 118 and 114 respectively, which is why she did not make it into the gifted program.

3. She is observed to frustrate easily when not getting a concept right
away (such as in math). Also, she often misses details during tests, and sometimes doesn't hear when assignments are given.

4. The Conners Continuous Performance Test was given. There was a
91.64% change that no significant, clinical attention problem exists. However,
of the 12 overall measures, four placed in the mildly atypical range, suggesting
impulsivity and inattentiveness. It was also noted that response style was
different from a typical respondent in the norm group in that the child
reponded more often. REaction time was fast, but performance was below-
average in the area of discriminating targets from one another, which
(according to the tester) suggests impulsivity. Her performance overall was
described as "fast and inaccurate".

The school basically said she was fine and didn't have any issues (even though I know she seems to get very disorganized)...and finally agreed to put her in the gifted program and in advanced math...but I'm worried because she obviously has a low PRI for a reason and I don't know where to go from here to understand it better. Someone had suggested looking into visual issues...but I called some of those "vision therapy" places and they cost a fortune...for something I don't even know if she needs!

She really wants to be in advanced math...which essentially is pre-algebra as a sixth grader..but her in class testing actually put her one level below that...still advanced, but not as advanced as her friends. I know she is not as strong in math as in verbal things, and I'm so worried that we are making the wrong decision about that as well.

I need to understand how someone can have such a wide range of subtest scores and what it really means.

Anyone?

I would look primarily to her enthusiasm for the subject, considering you have conflicting scores. Let her know she will likely have to work more than usual at the course and see what she thinks. Good luck!

hi eden
i see the gaps however its very good to know that social skills are good. if that were not the case, my answer might be different. In her case, her PRI is solidly in average range, so less concerning than if it was 80 or 90, which would point more strongly to a 2E situation, IMO.. was her percentile on picture concepts above 90? Was there anything the tester had to say about that particular subtest. maybe she had trouble understanding what she was supposed to do. This test happened to be my sons strongest so the pysch for some reason started giving me the picture concepts test, i guess so i could see what it was that he was so good at, and i have to admit i was thrown for a second with looking at multiple pictures across the page. i believe you have to have good visual tracking for this. not sure since it was a while ago, but i do remember being confused about it.
irene

Besides the Picture Concepts, nothing looks concerning. She is clearly very bright. And even if there is a 2E issue, it is extremely mild. When a 2E issue is more severe, more subtest scores are affected.

I am sure she would be able to achieve success in life: get into a good college, have a good career. The biggest way her weakness might show up is that she may need to work harder than an average GT person. That's all.

The reason I tend to downplay her weakness (when a professional may see more problems) is that I have a very severe LD myself which is a result of brain damage (cerebral palsy)from birth. I have areas of significant strength but my full-scale IQ is in the average range due to my significant disability. Judging from her WISC scores, your daughter is stronger cognitively than I am. So again, I would not be worried.

I think that in her case, getting an IEP/504 may only be important in so far as it would allow her to get extended time on standardized tests down the road and thus demonstrate her abilities to the fullest extent. So, that's just my 2 cents.