The purpose of this study was to determine if the Split-Half Short Form WISC-R correlates over time with the WISC-R and whether either of these two separately administered measures of intellectual ability were able to predict academic achievement in a sample of learning disabled students using the WRAT as the criterion variable.The subjects were 100 (71 males, 29 females) students, ages, 6 through 16, selected from a special education learning disabled school population. All the subjects were administered the WISC-R an average of three years prior to the administration of the WISC-RSH and the WRAT.Two hypotheses were specified for the separately administered test forms: No significant difference between corresponding scales of WISC-R and WISC-RSH; and no difference in ability of corresponding WISC-R and WISC-RSH scale scores in predicting academic achievement using the WRAT Reading, Spelling, and Arithmetic standard scores. Pearson Product-Moment correlation analyses were used to determine if a significant relationship existed between Verbal, Performance and Full-Scale IQ scores of the WISC-R and WISC-RSH. Regression analysis procedures were used to determine the predictive validity of each of these measures to the WRAT subscales.The results revealed that the Verbal, Performance and Full Scale IQ scores of the WISC-R and the WISC-RSH were significantly correlated (r=.60, .69, .72, respectively) over the three year period.Indices of predictability obtained from regression procedures revealed that neither test form was able to predict academic achievement using the WRAT scores as the criteria. However, both test forms performed similarly in their predictive ability, with the WISC-RSH demonstrating a slightly better predictive ability than the WISC-R. This can be explained by the fact that the WISC-RSH and WRAT were administered concurrently three years after the WISC-R.Results from this study show promise that the WISC-RSH, Verbal, Performance and Full Scale IQ scores may be used in the re-evaluation assessment process of learning disabled students. It remains open to question whether the WISC-RSH can be used in place of the WISC-R for all special education students in light of what previous studies have demonstrated regarding the WISC-R's ability to predict academic achievement in other exceptional sample populations. / Department of Educational Psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among measures of cognitive functioning, adaptive behavior, and language acquisition for a referred preschool population. The subjects were 115 preschoolers (75 boys and 40 girls) under the age of 6 years who had received a psychoeducational battery of tests for either suspected learning difficulties, emotional problems, or attention disorders. This data was collected from the archival records in a children's hospital.Pearson product moment correlations were used to examine the relationship among measures of cognitive functioning, adaptive behavior, and language acquisition. Correlation matrices were formulated to investigate the relationship.Three groups were delineated dependent on the instrument used to assess the preschoolers: Group 1 received the Bayley Intelligence Scale for Children and the Wisconsin Adaptive Behavior Scale; Group 2 received the Bayley Intelligence Scale for Children and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale; and Group 3 received the Stanford-Binet LM, the Vineland, and the Preschool Language Scale.The correlations obtained in Group 1 were all statistically significant (p<.01); these correlations for cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior were the highest of all the three groups. In fact, considerably higher than might be predicted after the review of the literature that contends that cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior are separate yet related constructs. Moderate correlations between cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior were found for the other two groups in alignment with earlier studies.In examining cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior for this referred preschool population it seems that the relationship changes as the child gets older. This study was not longitudinal; however, a greater separation of the constructs of cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior existed for the older child in this sample.In addition to examining the relationship between cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior, this study also looked at language acquisition in relationship to cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior. Statistically significantly high correlations were found for cognitive functioning and language acquisition for this study. The Preschool Language Scale Expressive subdomain was slightly more highly correlated with the Stanford-Binet LM than the Preschool Language Scale Receptive subdomain. This is consistent with the Vineland's Expressive subdomain correlating higher with the Stanford-Binet LM than the Vineland's Receptive subdomain. This suggests the age of the child has something to do with measuring language acquisition in the areas of receptive and expressive language.Given the moderate to high correlations for cognitive functioning, adaptive behavior, and language acquisition for this referred preschool population, it was concluded that measures of adaptive behavior and language acquisition assess constructs similar, yet distinct to cognitive functioning. Therefore, they are both valuable components in comprehensive assessment especially of children "at-risk". / Department of Educational Psychology

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Significant evidence from the legislation, medical/clinical, or professional practice perspective all points to the advantages and necessity of conducting comprehensive assessment of cognitive abilities, especially in young children, to identify cognitive deficits, arrive at an accurate diagnosis, and establish bases for developing interventions and recommending services. Cross-battery assessment approach provides school psychologists a useful tool to strengthen their preferred cognitive battery by adopting and comparing subtests from other batteries to build up a comprehensive and theoretically sound evaluation of an individual’s cognitive profile to increase the validity of test interpretation. Using joint confirmatory factor analysis, this study explored the combined underlying construct validity of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Third Edition (WJ-III COG) and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SB5) with an independent sample of preschool children. Seven models were examined and the results showed that relatively, the underlying construct of the two tests was best represented by a threestratum alternative CHC model in which the Gf factor and subtests had been removed. This indicates that not all the CHC constructs shared by both tests can be reliably identified among young children. Constructs of the CHC theory may be represented differently on preschool cognitive batteries due to developmental influences. Although WJ-III COG and SB5 tests as a whole did not demonstrate good results for purposes of cross-battery assessment, certain subtests (e.g., subtests representing crystallized intelligence) from each battery offer interpretative value for individual broad ability factors, providing school psychologists an in-depth understanding of a preschooler’s crystallized knowledge. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted with subtests from WJ-III COG and SB5 representing the four shared broad factors (Gc, Gf, Gv, and Gsm). Results revealed that a 4-factor solution is a better model fit to the data. Future research includes recruiting young children with disabilities or special needs to explore best representative underlying construct of combined WJ-III COG and SB5, allowing for cross-battery assessment. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Educational Psychology

no abstract available / Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

abstract: Standardized intelligence tests are some of the most widely used tests by psychologists. Of these, clinicians most frequently use the Wechsler scales of intelligence. The most recent version of this test for children is the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition (WISC-IV); given the multiple test revisions that have occurred with the WISC, it is essential to address evidence regarding the structural validity of the test; specifically, that the internal structure of the test corresponds with the structure of the theoretical construct being measured. The current study is the first to investigate the factor structure of the WISC-IV across time for the same individuals. Factorial invariance of the WISC-IV was investigated using a group of 352 students eligible for psychoeducational evaluations tested, on average, 2.8 years apart. One research question was addressed: Does the structure of the WISC-IV remain invariant for the same individuals across time? Using structural equation modeling methods for a four-factor oblique model of the WISC-IV, this study found invariance at the configural and weak levels and partial invariance at the strong and strict levels. This indicated that the overall factor structure remained the same at test and retest with equal precision of the factor loadings at both time points. Three subtest intercepts (BD, CD, and SI) were not equivalent across test and retest; additionally, four subtest error variances (BD, CD, SI, and SS) were not equivalent across test and retest. These results indicate that the WISC-IV measures the same constructs equally well across time, and differences in an individual's cognitive profile can be safely interpreted as reflecting change in the underlying construct across time rather than variations in the test itself. This allows clinicians to be more confident in interpretation of changes in the overall cognitive profile of individual's across time. However, this study's results did not indicate that an individual's test scores should be compared across time. Overall, it was concluded that there is partial measurement invariance of the WISC-IV across time, with invariance of all factor loadings, invariance of all but three intercepts, and invariance of all but four item error variances. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Psychology 2012

Introduction. A well-recognized problem exists when commonly employed tests developed in the United States (US) or United Kingdom (UK) are accepted unconditionally for use on local relatively disadvantaged populations, as these tests have questionable validity and therefore incur a high risk of misdiagnosis. Cross-cultural normative research has been conducted in South Africa on some of the Wechsler intelligence scales with respect to participants stratified for level and quality of education, age, race and language, including a study on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) for learners with Grade 7 education (age 12 to 23). The aim of the current study was to conduct a partial duplication of the earlier WISC-IV South African norming study that specifically targeted a younger group of educationally disadvantaged children at a lower level of education. Method. Participants were Black Xhosa-speaking Grade 3 learners in the age range 8 to 9 (N =32 ), who were being schooled in the disadvantaged educational setting of the former Department of Education and Training (former-DET) schools. The WISC-IV results of the current study were statistically compared with the WISC-IV results from Shuttleworth-Edwards, Van der Merwe et al. (2013) study. Results. There was a significant lowering of between 20 to 30 IQ points relative to the UK standardisation on WISC-IV scores for this sample of Grade 3 Xhosa-speaking learners, replicating the earlier outcome for Grade 7 Xhosa-speaking learners relative to the UK standardisation. No differences were in evidence within the WISC-IV sample for the female and male participants on any of the indices. There was equivalence between the Grade 3 and Grade 7 Xhosa-speaking learners on all subtest and Index scores with the exception of the Digit Span subtest. Conclusions. The results confirm prior research indications of the negative impact of educational disadvantage on IQ test results and the need for this to be taken into account by the availability of socio- culturally relevant norms.

M.A. / Traditional measures often used in the assessment of cognitive functions of individuals, are regarded as unsuitable for two reasons. Firstly, since a particular language is utilized in the test items and instructions of most cognitive tests, the overall lower verbal test scores of culturally diverse individuals often is an indicator of poor verbal knowledge and language proficiency that in effect has a bearing on an invalid lower Full Scale IQ score. The verbal item content fail to provide important information regarding the potential learning and reasoning abilities of a person from a different culture. Secondly, due to past standardization practices in the construction of measuring instruments, important elements regarding the cultural relevance of the content of the measures, have often failed to be included. In order to address such problems, this research examined the suitability of the S.O.N.-R 5 % - 17 according to three objectives: (a) to cognitively assess the non-verbal intelligence of 400 secondary school children from four culturally diverse groups in the Johannesburg metropolitan area, viz. Afrikaans-, English-, Sotho- and Zulu-speaking learners who are in grades 8-10; (b) to determine whether home language, grade level, socio-economic status (SES), gender, handedness and the use of visual aids (spectacles/contact lenses) were important variables in determining subtest total scores; and (c) to determine the appropriateness of the S.O.N.-R 5%- 17 for local use in terms of its psychometric properties, viz. reliability (internal consistency) as well as its construct and predictive validity. Apart from providing the developmental aspects pertaining to the cognitive development of adolescents, other important theoretical aspects of intelligence were discussed from a cross-cultural perspective in reference to various conceptual frameworks from which intelligence was viewed as a function of the internal (innate) psychological processes of the individual and the external (socio-cultural) psychological processes of the individual. An outline based on the psychometric and cultural implications for such theories of intelligence was also delineated in an effort to define the concept of intelligence as related to culture-fair testing.

Doctorat en sciences psychologiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Despite a widespread perception that the number of children coming to clinical attention with Autism Spectrum Disorders has greatly increased, limited South African Research has been conducted on children with Autism. Thus a need exists to accumulate knowledge about the cognitive, psychological and personalsocial growth of children diagnosed with Autism. This study is aimed at exploring the performance of children with Autism between the ages of 7 years (from 72 months) and 8 years (to 95.9 months), in South Africa (SA), utilising the Revised Extended Griffiths Scales of Mental Development (GSMD). The sample comprised an experimental group of 30 children with Autism from four schools for Specialised Education for learners with Autism in SA, and a control group comprised of 30 “normal” children, where normalcy can be broadly defined as “an absence of any sensory, physical or mental handicap”. The six areas of general development assessed included Locomotor, Personal- Social, Language, Eye and Hand co-ordination, Performance, and Practical Reasoning. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was applied. The major findings of the present study were as follows: (i) Children with Autism (years 7 & 8) showed a characteristic cognitive profile when tested with the revised Extended Griffiths Scales. Their performance indicates lower performance on Subcales B, C and F than on the other Subscales. (ii) Some children with Autism experienced major fall-outs, whereas others were slightly below average. The general performance of children with Autism was, however, in the range “cognitively impaired”. (iii) There was significant difference between the Autistic sample and the normal sample on the GQ. xiv In view of the findings, it is recommended that the results of the study, which focused on the children’s areas of developmental weakness, be widely disseminated. This could facilitate the development of therapeutic programmes, so as to allow for appropriate stimulation for children with Autism.