Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment WISC-IV score interpretations

DS9 had testing done in Feb 2014 as a 7 y/o. Any interpretation of the raw numbers would be appreciated.

Scores were as follows:

VCI - 142
PRI - 135
WMI - 146
PSI - 106
FSIQ - 142
GAI - 147

VCI subtest Raw/scaled
similarities - 24/17
vocabulary - 39/18
Comprehension - 23/16

PRI subtest raw/scaled
Block Design - 22/12
Picture concepts - 24/19
matrix reasoning - 22/16

WMI subtest - raw/scaled
letter-numbering sequence - 20/18
(arithmetic) - 25/18

PSI subtests - raw/scaled
coding - 37/8
symbol search - 32/14

He scored almost exactly like my DS did when he took the test at 6.5 years.

If he's anything like mine, he probably uses his high working memory to his advantage at school and likely "presents" as gifted in a somewhat obvious way (if that makes any sense).

Those are great scores! What additional interpretation were you hoping for?

Hey George. Does your sons lower PSI show itself in any practical ways? Is he particularly strong in any academic areas vs others?

Thanks!

That is a high WMI! Neither of my DYS DC have a WMI that high, but DS (who has the higher WMI of my 2 DC), with very high VCI, PRI, and high WMI, is extremely good at math. His PSI is somewhat lower than his other scores, but still above-average. He can be somewhat indecisive, but is extremely methodical.

DD, on the other hand, with very, very high VCI, high PRI, high PSI, and almost average WMI is our absent-minded professor...but a decisive (and opinionated), quick thinker, who never stops talking. She also has a great imagination.

Of course, these are only my observations of two kiddos.

I think high WMI allows him to ponder a whole lot of stuff in his head at once, and so he can be really thorough... but he is noticeably slower than other kids at writing and at computational math. His biggest issue now is the latter, with his slow computational skills often masking his high math reasoning abilities. It will be interesting to see how that unfolds as he gets a bit older.

Of course, if your DS is 9, you've likely already seen how his PSI likely affects his approach to things.

I have always said he seems to always have something going on in his head. I have had similar experiences, in that he takes his time to really consider his responses before answering a question (or sometimes responding to a directive). I'm not sure if it takes a while to travel from his ears to get to the point that he understands what needs to be done, or if he is just over analyzing!

I haven't experienced the math issue you described.

That sounds exactly like my DS9!

These are very nice high, relatively even scores. The one exception is Coding, which is a measure (among other things) of fine-motor speed. (Notably, the second lowest score is Block Design, which is also a timed hands-on task.) In some individuals, this may be suggestive of fine-motor difficulties. (I wouldn't say speed in general, as the other PSI task, Symbol Search, is a healthy High Average.) Does he have handwriting issues? Or is he just very careful and reflective?

I think he is just measured in how he does things. Fine motor has always seemed pretty good. I think he will need to take WISC-V in next couple of months as the 2 year period for his IV is up in February.

Is there a recommended regular testing schedule?

In the special education world, the recommended schedule is once every three years, and no more frequently than once every two years. For GT (not 2e) purposes, I would say this is also a reasonable interval, though there is probably no urgent need for additional evaluation after the age of about 10 or 11--when the numbers usually stabilize--unless it affects access to critical resources.