Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment processing speed question - what if high?

I have a strange question for Dottie and others. I know that processing speed is oftentimes removed for GAI calculation, because it is not considered a good estimate of giftedness. What happens if a child does extremely well on processing speed, and it is one of the best subtests? Would this be looked down upon when looking at the whole FSIQ and interpreting it for giftedness. I don't have more details right now, tester has them, but this is something that I know so far and am curious about. Thank you so much -

I saw a psychologist speak at a GATE conference recently who said that PSI in gifted kids is simply a measure of how much they are affected by perfectionism. Now obviously, that is a bit of a generalization but it does demonstrate how a child with a high PSI may be able to go through those sections quickly and with accuracy, without being overly worried about correct answers or how the tester is viewing them, if they are the fastest or slowest ever or what someone will think if the answer is wrong... or the multitude of other things my DS says were racing through his head at the time!

Thanks all. The tester is calculating, we are talking tomorrow and I'll have more to say (or maybe not if the rest is boring). This was very helpful!

I think your psych might have been the one I saw speak. He used that same phrase several times in his lecture! That was very much his point- if it's a low score it's a reflection of perfectionism if everything else is high. If it's a high score, well be happy your kid doesn't agonize over every answer. That was all he said you can use PSI for determining.

As the parent of a child with a legitimately lower PSI than VCI or PRI, I think it's definitely too big a generalization to say what the psych said:

I think perfectionism can lower PSI and should always be *considered* in the case of a high GAI/low PSI. But a blanket statement like this is dangerous. My child (and others discussed here regularly) are living proof that some kids really do process things more slowly and yet are still wicked smart.

I always worry (and speak up) when I see generalizations like this because I have seen my son suffer at the hands of people who equate fast and smart. These are not the same, even once perfectionism is taken into account. There really are people who need time to process, but who are still amazingly bright.

I agree completely that PSI can matter in school situations. Because of the common "fast = smart" bias, kids who are fast often do better in school situations. I would be more likely to recommend against grade skips for a kid with an average or below-average PSI because the child is more likely to have a hard time keeping up with the older kids, no matter how deeply and creatively the child can solve problems. Some other solution might be a better fit. In that regard, a high PSI can be a big help. Some classrooms can be very speed-oriented.

Kriston,
This is pertinent information because this child is a total speed demon. Anything that takes too long just annoys her. She is begging for another grade skip because she hates sitting and waiting for everyone else, she gets things super fast and wants to just move on. So, this is interesting, thank you. I appreciate the type that takes her time and massages ideas, that just isn't her.

My guess: she's probably going to look smarter than she is (and I don't mean that in any bad way--just talking perception vs. potential here) to a lot of teachers.

That can be a good thing or a bad thing. Teachers often get from kids what they expect to get, so if teachers see your DD as more capable, it might be a big boon for her education. Hard work matters a lot! And if your DD is willing to work to live up to expectations, she could go amazingly far.

I'd just keep my eyes peeled for her getting in over her head and getting overwhelmed. She would seem to be a potential candidate for imposter syndrome if speed becomes mistaken for intelligence, especially in math, especially in the early grades. Timed math fact tests aren't "real" math, and it can be shocking to kids who have been "the smart ones" in math to hit problem solving and falter. No blanket statment, of course. Some schools do a better job at early problem-solving work than others. (Ours isn't good!) But it would be something I'd watch for.

Is it possible that her VCI and PRI tested lower than reality for her? How/what does she do if she runs up against something that is legitimately hard for her?

I completely agree, CFK.

Oh, I read this and thought the GAI scores weren't as high:



I figured that meant the others were lower, but you're right that this isn't clear. Hmmm...

I believe, from the quick conversation that I had with the tester, that her FSIQ is at the 145 mark, with VCI and maybe PRI in the very high 130's? I think I heard right, we are talking tomorrow. I was expecting super high VCI, but it wasn't her day.
Oh, and she cries or stamps her feet if something is actually difficult. Hence the need to make sure that she is challenged, so it isn't so unusual.