Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment WPPSI-IV-Block Design

My son (5 years 3 months old) took the WPPSI-IV test this week. I was trying to decide if he should test for our county's Highly Capable program. His sister is gifted, and we knew that very early on. With my son, we aren't as sure. His fsiq on the test was 125. His Block Design score was a lot lower than the rest of his scores. Last year we were told he has vision tracking issues that the doctor said he could outgrow. I was wondering if vision tracking could have had any thing to do with his lower score.

I was also wondering if anyone knew how the fsiq is calculated using the subscale scores.

Thank you!!

In terms of vision, DS did the WISC IV which had block design and did fine on it (at age 6) but I'm not sure how WPPSI IV block design is different. DS had strabismus at the time due to a brain injury, with one eye not able to track all the way to the right. His block design score was lower than the other perceptual reasoning scores, but he also has fine motor issues which I think played a bigger role. He did a Grooved Pegboard test on the same day (putting pegs into a board and it was timed) and he scored below the first percentile. Meanwhile his block design score was a 13, I think. Not sure if this helps. You can look at any other subtests that involve visual processing and see if those scores are low as well. There is also a test called the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills which an OT did...you could ask about it.

There are multiple factors that could affect block design. It does involve fine-motor skills, and obviously vision. It is also timed, which can be a factor as well.

The FSIQ is derived by summing the subtest scaled scores for the two verbal subtests, the two fluid reasoning subtests, and one each of the visual-spatial, working memory, and processing speed subtests. Then you look up norms which are based on the this sum of scores, which generate a standard score. It is not a simple average of the subtest scores.

Absolutely! I have a dd who had issues with visual tracking as well as other vision challenges and when she was tested with the WISC (not WPPSI) she scored extremely low on Block Design vs the other subtests (with the exception of Symbol Search, which also relies heavily on vision).

I would look at two things - how much lower was the Block Design score? If it is more than 1.5 SD that's considered significant (15 points = 1 SD on the WISC, I'm not sure about the WPPSI) ; on the WISC-IV that might bring the PRI score and FSIQ into question, but I am not familiar with the WPPSI so can't help with it.

I also wouldn't assume your ds is going to outgrow vision tracking issues - our dd didn't! We didn't even realize she had them until she was 7, and she needed vision therapy to get past the tracking/etc issues. Vision Therapy was *really* successful for her, but her tracking/etc issues were due to weak eye muscles, and eventually after a few years the issues reappeared and she had to go through another round of vision therapy. If your ds hasn't been evaluated by a Developmental Optometrist, I'd seriously consider it.

Best wishes,

polarbear

Thanks for the replies! I spoke with the tester and she said vision tracking could have effected the block design portion of the test, but she though if that was the case, his bug design (processing speed test) would have been low too. He was in the 99th percent for processing speed.
We are going to have his vision checked out anyway.