WISC scores, i dont understand what they mean, anyone know?

[brandy77]

My 6.5 year old son had some of the tests done but couldnt complete a full one because of his concentration, or lack of should I say

I dont understand what it all means

Comprehension 13 (high average)
Perceptual Reasoning, Block Design 8 (low average)
Picture Concepts 9 (good performance and approach)
Matrix Reasoning 6 (overconfident/slapdash)
Processing speed, Coding 6 (below average) Symbol search 11 (high average)

Verbal comprehension Index 86 (percentile 18)
Processing speed index 91 (percentle 27)

I have googled it but still dont understand it,lol

Thankyou anyone that can figure it out

anyone

I might be able to help. I've done a bit of reading about the significance of WISC results and my lovely EP gave me some notes as well.

Can't do it just at the moment - am just having lunch and doing homework with the dcs, but will be back later if that's ok.

yes thankyou moosemama

Hi brandy

I'll do my best to try and fathom it out with you, but I should warn you I'm ridiculously tired, so if I sound like I'm talking nonsense, tell me to shut-up!

First of all, was it the WISC III or WISC IV do you know? My ds is older than yours (8.11) and did the WISC IV.

Do you have any more results? If not, it looks like he hasn't completed the same number of subtests as my ds, I think the person doing the testing can decide which subtests to use if they are looking for something in particular.

(am posting in separate posts so you don't end up with one massive long post on your thread)

This is what the EP said about my ds's results:

Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) IQ Index - 124 Percentile - 95%

Verbal Comprehension (VCI)
Similarities - 14
Vocabulary - 16
Comprehension - 12

The three subtests administered were intended to measure verbal formation, verbal reasoning and knowledge acquired from one?s environment. X's scores indicate this cognitive domain to be a particular area of strength, with his score falling within the superior range.
..

Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) IQ Index - 102 Percentile - 55%

Block design - 8
Picture concepts - 11
Matrix reasoning - 12

The three subtests administered are a measure of perceptual and fluid reasoning, spatial processing and visual-motor integration.
X?s scores indicate that on the two subtests he performed above average and just under average on one. His overall score for this domain falls within the average range.
..

Processing Speed Index (PRI) IQ Index - 85 Percentile - 16%

Coding - 9
Symbol search - 6

The two processing speed subtests provide a measure of X?s ability to quickly and correctly scan, sequence or discriminate simple visual information. Both subtests measure short term visual memory, attention and visual motor coordination.

X?s scores indicate this cognitive domain appears to be an area of difficulty for him, with his results producing scores within the low average range. X clearly has the cognitive skills necessary to successfully recognise letters and words, however his processing speed appears to be slow and therefore he will require extra time to accomplish tasks, particularly writing or copying tasks.
..

Index Level Discrepancy Comparisons

Information about a child?s strengths and weaknesses can be gained from comparing performances across four different index or composite scores. In X?s case there was a significant difference between his processing speed and all other areas. Indicating that he needs more time to complete tasks and possibly instructions to be repeated, in which case, instructions should be repeated in exactly the same way, allowing him to extract the information he has missed.

In addition to these my ds took the Working Memory (WMI), which came back as the top end of average.

Basically the results back up what we already knew. ie That ds is highly verbal, has visual motor and spatial awareness issues which affect his ability to process and handle visual information and a slow processing speed (this backs up our experience of him being slow to respond to instructions, or seeming to not hear when spoken to, but then being able to repeat back what you've just said to him).

His EP explained it as him being extremely bright, but slower to complete a task than average - as a result he will be allowed extra time in examinations in future on the strength of his WISC IV scoring.

At his AS assessment we were told that it also backed up the huge gulf between his verbal and non-verbal skills, as his verbal skills were in the superior range on the WISC but his non-verbal skills tested extremely poorly during the ADOS.

I'm not sure if that's any help to you. I thought our EP explained it all pretty well, althought it did take me a while to get my head around it all.

At first glance at your post the processing speed index is about average be it a low average and the verbal comprehension index is below average.

18th Percentile means out of 100 that 82 children of your child's peers would do better for example.

gosh, thats confusing, thankyou though! it was a WISC IV and she couldnt complete it all as my sons attitude to learning is pretty horendous, low self esteem etc. All she said was that it didnt look like he had a learning disability but when hes got the developmental paed referal he would have to be tested further.

Hes suspected ASD/Pathologial Demand Avoidance (more PDA she thinks)

wasuup, what exactly does verbal comprehension index mean? hes very verbal and very mature in how he speaks, which is like an adult really. school (hes not attended since January) always said there wasnt a problem even though he didnt complete any work, would these scores explain why he fell behind so much. sorry for so many questions, just trying to get my head around it all x

mmm confusingly at the bottom of the results it says *it was not possible to calculate either a verbal comprehension index or a working memory index

Sorry, got distracted by naughty bedtime shenanigans from my two year old.

That's what I thought wassuup.

Looking at your ds's results, the verbal comprehension appears to be below average, but it looks like they only did one subtest, so its not clear why/how.

His processing speed is on the lower side of average, which does mean it might help to give him extra time to assimilate and process instructions.

Who did the test for you? Didn't they send any feedback regarding what the implications of the scores might be for him?

I found the table on this page useful for getting my head round exactly what they're testing for in each section.

Cross posted.

Right so the VCI score was based on the comprehension test only and so isn't truly representative of his skills in that area.

If he was resistant to being tested, I would think that could also lower his processing speed scores - but don't quote me on that.

My gut reaction would be that if he was resistant and non-compliant during the testing, the results probably aren't indicative of his true strengths and weaknesses.

I'm sure wasuup can probably help you more than me though, as I struggled to get my head around it all too.

Not sure what else I can add the scores are spiky which means strengths and weaknesses seem to fluctuate which indicates a difficulty of some kind.

A professional such as an EP would probably consider the concentration issue in line with the difficulties completing the tests and look at the whole picture not just the test results as they stand. They may look at classwork and take on the teachers, parental and other professional views also before coming to any conclusions and class strategies.

Just read your last post Brandy. I think just simply the concentration issue would be enough to affect the scores and your sons ability to complete the work when he was in class.

Have you had anyone else assess your son or just the EP?

VCI = It assesses children's ability to listen to a question, draw upon learned information from both formal and informal education, reason through an answer, and express their thoughts aloud. It can tap preferences for verbal information, a difficulty with novel and unexpected situations, or a desire for more time to process information rather than decide "on the spot.

www.brainy-child.com/expert/WISC_IV.shtml

thankyou for helping me try to understand it,lol. The EP is the only one to assess him, his behavioural problems have always been blamed on his medical problems but are now being split. Stat. assessment starting so im guessing there will be more conclusive (i hope) assessments. The EP's comments are in the brackets after the scores

It maybe worth getting an ASD SALT to have a look at him and the OT service both which I think you can self refer to?

thats interesting that you think you can self refer or the OT, the EP had written in her first report for me to ask the paed about a referal when I see him. Bearing in mind it will be several weeks before i see him I will look into that or its even more waiting, thanks

thanks moosemama, your son sounds very bright

You're welcome, I don't think I was much help though really.

My ds is bright in some ways, not so much in others - another spikey profile really.

That said, he's bright enough to run rings around me.