She was recently dx with ADD and anxiety. The way I am coming to think about it over the years of seeing my girls (hopefully not wrongly so!), is that VCI and PRI tell you the child's potential or intellectual ability whereas WMI and PSI give him/her the ability to express that potential. Both WMI and PSI can be dropped to calculate GAI b/c they are less of a part of the general ability, but they are important if you want to be able to show that you have that ability. For a child with weaknesses in both, it really is hard to appear as able as you are. I know that my younger dd has had a lot more academic frustration than her sister.
Thanks Cricket2 - I was a little nervous about my post above. I have the low WM and my son has the low PSI and I was extrapolating. There aren't tons of PGlets running around in this situation - usually like to give advice based on direct experience.
I will say that some kids score low on WMI and PSI because of other issues and their 'true' WMI and PSI is well above average. Anxiety and perfectionism do it all the time. But based on the toothbrush story and the parental frustration level, I'm guessing in the OP's situation that there are quite an accurate reflection.
I think ADHD, or Executive Function Challenges can be good names of whatever it is that is causing the WMI and PSI to be 3 standard deviations below the strengths. I think some kids are just 'born that way.' I think that some of us are
here so suprised to be raising 'hugely gifted kids' when we grew up feeling soooo stupid.
I would edit what you posted a bit: Both WMI and PSI can be dropped to calculate GAI b/c they are less of a part of the general ability, but they are important if you want to be able to show that you have that ability (
IN SCHOOL.) School is not life. Really. If we can teach our kids to have good 'know thyself' skills and good character and good work ethic and love of engagement then I think they will have good lives where their giftedness can show. It will probably take much longer than our less spiky profile kids. Each of us was created for a reason, given exactly the set of challenges and strengths we were given.
I do believe that any kid who is scoring over 140 in Verbal or Performance IS GIFTED. No matter how they perform in school. No matter if they forget to brush their teeth. No matter if they get conditioner confused with shampoo and develop the greasiest head in the world. No matter how they score on those other subscales. No matter what their spelling skills are like. And that as they grow up, there is every chance that they will find a way to make their unique contribution. Getting them there is a hard road and painful. But I hope that together we can provide enough support for each other to make it work.
Cricket2 - next time you see your DD2, let her know that 'Aunty Grinity' grew up with a much more academic superstar sibling and that she is sure that DD2 has her own 'special destiny' and please hang on and learn all about everything as much as she can so she'll be ready when the time comes, ok? If not in those words, than something else with the same spirit.
Love and More Love,
Grinity
