Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Tested...then retested?

As far as I understand, the WPPSI-III can be used to assess individuals whose age range from 3 y/o to age 7 and 3 months. If the child being assessed is administered the WPPSI-III at age 7 and 3 months and school later responds that due to the close age ranges and the nature of WPPSI-III and WISC-III that the proper test should have been the WISC-III, can the parents rightfully maintain their arguement that the child was in fact given the correct exam?

In other words, if at age 7.3months you are given WPPSI-III and perform in the 99th %le should those results be counted as reliable even though the WISC-III offers tests for ages 6-16?

This happened to me when I was in kindergarten. From what I have read on this website, it is possible for me to have hit the ceiling on the first test, and instead of my parents being told that, the school -- which, by the way, mentioned before I was tested, that they thought it best for gifted children to be identified later on in their academic life, and therefore I was too young to be put into the program -- regardless, I was tested with the WPPSI-III and did very well, then the school came back and said that I had been given the wrong test. I did not even qualify based on the second test. The percentile drop was RIDICULOUS--this second administration was a couple of months later.

I believe the most accurate story to be that I hit the ceiling, but hey. I did not qualify for gifted on the second test. My parents did not send me to private psychologist to be tested a third time, even though each and every one of my teachers in my remaining elementary years and throughout middle school said: "He needs to be challenged. He misbehaves yet knows the material. All the way through high school these type of comments were common. I am now a freshman in college and am seriously considering having myself tested AGAIN to see if I can get into MENSA. According to the home test I should qualify without much trouble.

You may be wondering, well if Mensa says...then why are you asking? Because I just want to know if similar stories were around, and this seemed like the perfect forum to ask about them. And I just need some sort of confirmation. It should also be noted that I am diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as well. Lastly, I know only of the results from the first test by word of mouth from my parents, neither of whom can "find" the results of the first test that is at home, "somewhere."

Thanks. If I find the first test with the 99th percentile score, which should I count to be most valid?

My non expert opinion would be that: 1. the test is for that age range, otherwise it would have had an upper limit of 7 years 2 months, or something else. So, it should have been valid.
Also, from everything I've read kids don't accidentally score really well on these tests. Kids do often score inaccurately low for a lot of reasons.

Also remember that any test is one score on one day. Lots of things can happen on that one day, so please don't think that any single score is somehow defining you as a person. Do your parents think you're gifted? As you read about giftedness, do you think you're gifted? Do the descriptions you read seem to fit you?

That observation over years matters far more than any single score on any single day, especially if there's no program you're trying to get into that requires a score.

Don't feel like you need outside confirmation of who or what you are. Trust your gut. If the descriptions of giftedness help you to understand yourself better, then it's okay to use them, regardless of what a single test said.

Welcome to the board. It is a nice to have a young adult here. My ds is still in preschool so I am at the beginning of this journey. You have already lived through a lot.

Although you are still searching for answers you are obviously a thoughtful and articulate person. Please take Kriston's words to heart: You are so much more than one test.

You will see from the posts of parents on the board that even after many tests and endless analysis, questions often remain.

Thank all of you for your insight. I do believe at times that the "gifted" side of me shows in specific areas, and I have also come to conclude that what I once demonstrated at high levels has somewhat been reduced due to the improper learning environment at the correct times.

Again, thank you all and your advice has been taken to heart. Follow my gut is what I will do, and yes, I agree, that one test does not define the whole person.

Sorry for responding sooo late. I have been bust lately.

Glad to help. Post more if you want to talk about it.

You know - I wonder if "labels" screw children up, especially in my case. By the way, I registered with SENG, I'm sure all of those who participate in this forum have to be aware of SENG, but anyway, labels - moderately/gifted/highly/exceptionally/profoundly, how do these labels and sometimes misidentifications affect children at their esteem needs and cognitive and aesthetic needs, how it leads to that misguided sense of inferiority, or in some cases, superiority, how do you balance the struggles that come along with the knowledge of being an EG child *That would make a great domain name, theEGchild.com - the exceptionally gifted child.* Suppose my story happens to someone else, and because they were not labeled as an exceptionally gifted child, when indeed they are an exceptionally gifted child, their dreams of becoming something associated with high levels of intelligence can be destroyed. Psychologists ought to be very cognizant of that, and I believe they are to some extents...some of them at least. This is why I find SENG and more than ever now, THIS forum fascinating - it helps to provide insight to one whose emotions, creativity, and intellect are at a tug-of-war with overexcitablilities antagonizing all ends.

Well, I always say that labels are tools. In the system we have, sometimes labels help to get necessary services. Like any tool, sometimes labels are misused and can cause damage instead of bringing assistance. But used correctly, labels are very useful.

If it weren't for the label "gifted" I doubt any of us on this forum would have found one another here in cyberspace. So there's an example of a good use of the label, one that's near and dear to my heart!

In an ideal world, all kids would be taught what they were ready for, would be challenged appropriately, would have their weaknesses nurtured, would have their educational needs met...all without labels. But sadly, this ain't that world.