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Which of my kids should take the WPPSI?


purpleowl
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There's a psychology student who needs kids that she can practice giving IQ tests to, so I volunteered.  I've set up an appointment with her, and she said she'll be administering the WPPSI, and that she doesn't have any preference as to whether it's my 6-year-old or my 3-year-old.

 

I honestly don't know what I would use the scores for, but in case it matters, the tester is still a student, so I don't know whether that affects the scores being official/valid/whatever.  She will be receiving training on the test before she administers it, though.

 

Anyway, how would you decide which child to have tested?  

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There's a psychology student who needs kids that she can practice giving IQ tests to, so I volunteered.  I've set up an appointment with her, and she said she'll be administering the WPPSI, and that she doesn't have any preference as to whether it's my 6-year-old or my 3-year-old.

 

I honestly don't know what I would use the scores for, but in case it matters, the tester is still a student, so I don't know whether that affects the scores being official/valid/whatever.  She will be receiving training on the test before she administers it, though.

 

Anyway, how would you decide which child to have tested?  

 

It would depend. My dd now 13 took it when she was about 4.5,  through the schools. She started the testing process and partway through (I was in the room). The psychologist asked me if she was reading the words in a surprised tone. I said yes that she had been reading for a while. She maxed certain sections which may have impacted her scores. She's never been retested. . 

 

That being my experience it would depend on whether or not the older one was reading and/or if the younger one is reading or close to reading I might lean toward that child. 

 

Just my thoughts. 

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Be cautious about any results given to you. When I was in graduate school for school psychology I too had to go and recruit people to assess and then videotape myself administering the assessment. Then I met with other students in my program and we watched the videotapes together to discuss administration procedures. We all made mistakes. Some were minor, some were not. I would be surprised if the student will give you any scores.  We were not allowed to in our program. If the student does not have experience with young children, I wouldn't have your 3 year old be the one who is assessed. It is hard to assess kids at that age. I would have your 6 year old be the one because your 6 year old will sit there longer and will be able to answer more questions, which will be helpful to the student.

Even now when a new test comes out I bring the test kit home and practice on my own kids. I sometimes have to bribe my kids with Skittles so I can administer all the questions. My younger child will often score in the 99th percentile on one subtest and then the 1st percentile on the next if he isn't interested. At three years old he would often know the right answer but not want to pick it. For example, the right answer would be to point to a specific picture of a dog. He didn't like how the dog looked but liked another animal so would pick that one and laugh. Or would want to stack blocks instead of complete a pattern with the blocks.  Or he would answer back that why am I asking him the question if I already know the answer to what a word means. You have to be really, really familiar with a test to test a 3 year old- you need to have the materials ready and not pause, establish rapport, praise only for effort not answers, and be ready to get down on the floor with a child.   

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My kids once took a iq test, it was the new WISC (if I have the acronym right)

 

They were paid money to take the test, and I was paid a much smaller amount to fill in a lot of question forms about them. They never got the results. I think they made in total between the IQ test and a second test for something else - 80 dollars each.

 

So unless she said you would get results I would have the child most willing to do it, do it.

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Mine took part in the Australasian norming for the WIPPSI4 at 4 and 6. We did not get the results and they were paid in a random bundle of books. I did get a free IQ test for my youngest later. Are you planning on getting either of them officially tested later? I used the norming test as a trial run for my youngest who is a bit contrary so it was worth it as he knew the tester when he did the real test six months later (not the WPPSI4 obviously).

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  • 5 weeks later...

This happened today, and I ultimately decided to have DD#2 (the 3yo) do the test.  DD kept saying things like, "I am VERY, VERY good at this activity!  Didn't I do great at this activity?  Wow, I am REALLY good at this!"  Humble, that one.  :lol:  Anyway, I could tell she was starting to flag near the end, but she got through it just fine.  

 

And you guys who said the student wouldn't be able to discuss any results with me were right on.  I'm glad I asked about the testing here so that I wasn't surprised by that today!

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