Hubert Booney Vance

The Structure of Intelligence for Black Children: A Hierarchical Approach

A hierarchical factor solution (Wherry & Wherry, Note 1) was obtained on WISC-R subtest intercorrelations for 150 black children and adolescents referred to a community agency for psychological assessment. Factorization was controlled by specifying the extraction of two primary factors and allowing for one higher-order factor. The factors thus obtained not only provided a parsimonious account of the common variance in the WISC-R subtests, but also indicated an ability arrangement congruent with Vernon’s (1950) structural paradigm. The ability hierarchy included a relatively weak general g factor defined by a pattern of positive loadings from all WISC-R subtests. At the primary level, there was almost complete bifurcation between the verbal and performance subtests, with the former defining a verbal-educational (v:ed) factor and the latter defining a spatial-perceptual (k:m) factor. These findings suggest that the basic ability dimensions are the same for referred black children as they are for referred whites and normals in the standardization sample.

Comparison of the WISC-R and PPVT for a group of mentally retarded students

This study compared the WISC-R and PPVT scores for a group of 65 students classified as mentally retarded, ranging in age from 7.5 to 14.5. Pearson product moments (r) and correlated t values were employed in the analysis of data. The evidence from the present study indicated that for this sample of mildly retarded children and youth, the PPVT IQ score is significantly higher than the Full Scale IQ from the WISC-R. The current findings indicate that the same general pattern exists for the WISC-R and PPVT as for the WISC and PPVT scores.

Developing Remedial Hypotheses from Ability Profiles

I n an earlier article (Vance, Wallbrown, & Blaha 1978), the results of a profile analysis of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children — Revised (WISC-R) subtest scores for reading disabled children were described. The analysis was concerned only with profile shape, since level and dispersion were controlled through a selection of the students included in the study. Level was controlled to some extent by excluding those students with Full-Scale WISC-R IQs less than 85. Dispersion was controlled by excluding students who failed to show an appreciable variability in their WISC-R profiles from the study. The original sample consisted of 128 children, but 24 were not included in this study because their WISC-R profiles were relatively flat, or showed minimal dispersion. An analysis of the WISC-R profiles for the 104 children remaining in the sample showed five ability patterns that can be used to help develop remedial strategies. The five profiles obtained in the analysis were Distractibility, Perceptual Organization, Language Disability-Automatic, Language Disability-Pervasive, and Behavioral Comprehension and Coding. Most students (75

HIERARCHICAL FACTOR STRUCTURE OF THE WISC-R FOR REFERRED CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

) had WISC-R profiles that showed considerable similarity to one of these ability patterns (syndromes). The profiles of some students (14

Correlations of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and Slosson Intelligence Test for a Group of Learning Disabled Students

) tended to split evenly between syndromes or showed only minimal similarity to any of the five syndromes. These findings suggest that WISC-R

Analysis of Cognitive Abilities for Mentally Retarded Children on the WISC-R

A hierarchical factor solution was obtained for intercorrelations among the 10 regular WISC-R subtests for 169 children and adolescents referred to a community agency for assessment. This sample was predominantly rural but quite heterogeneous with respect to age, ability, and type of referral problem. The findings indicated an ability hierarchy composed of a strong general (g) factor and two sub-general factors corresponding to the spatial-perceptual (k:m) and verbal-educational (v:ed) parameters of Vernons (1950) structural paradigm.

Trends in Secondary Curriculum Development

This study compared scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and Slosson intelligence test for 64 students (45 boys, 19 girls) who ranged in age from 7–3 to 13–2. Mean IQ on the Peabody was significantly higher than the mean IQ on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised and on the Slosson. The mean IQs were 95.0 for the Peabody, 89 0 for the Slosson, and 87.8 for the Wechsler Full Scale, with standard deviations of 12.3, 11.7, and 7.0, respectively. Highest correlations of IQs were between Verbal Scale of the Wechsler and the Slosson (.81) and between the Verbal and Performance Scales of the WISC-R (.73).

The abilities of retarded students: further evidence concerning the stimulus trace factor.

This study investigated the cognitive abilities of 238 retarded children and youth on the WISC-R. The sample consisted of 238 children (135 boys and 103 girls) ranging in ages from 5 yr., 7 mo. to 16 yr., 7 mo., with a mean age of 10 yr., 9 mo. The variation in subtest scores was analyzed by running an analysis of variance for correlated data for the sample’s subtest scores. Individual differences between subtest means were analyzed by Newman-Keuls test for simple effects. Students’ t and Fisher’s F ratios were used to analyze the subtest scale scores of males and females. On the WISC-R Verbal Scale, the boys scored slightly higher than the girls on each of the subtests. The girls excelled on the Coding. Greatest variation in subtest scores occurred in the Object Assembly, while the lowest variation occurred in Picture Arrangement. Evidence from the present study of mentally retarded children’s performance on the WISC-R indicated that the relative strength and/or weakness of this sample is not restricted to either the Verbal or Performance area. Differences among the WISC-R subtests for retarded subjects seem to be as great within the Verbal-Performance areas as they are between them.

Correlations between the Quick Test Forms 1 and 3 and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test for Children and Youth with Learning Problems

Provisions for exceptional adolescents are in a similar state t o what they were in 1961 when L. Connor said, “As elementary schools throughout the nation gradually shift from a K-6 to K-12 grade span, the lack of suitable activities for older exceptional children becomes more apparent.” Major reports indicate that the curriculum and programs for secondary special education have not kept pace with state o r federal legislation, The exceptional adolescent is facing the most difficult period of his or her life. At a time when he is most vulnerable to stress, we throw him into a new environment of junior o r senior high experiences, which instead of lessening the impact of an environment already impinging on him, aggravates it and introduces new sources of tension, frustration and self-doubt. Often this child-who is unsure of himself;who has personal and social problems, who may be underachieving but causing no disturbance t o others-does not stand much of a chance of receiving the attention and services of school guidance personnel. The secondary school teacher typically has little background in special education and often doesn’t have the necessary skills o r knowledge t o work with the adolescent who has moderate or severe learning problems. This adolescent still needs the extra support , understanding, and structure, which on leaving elementary school .are no longer available to him.

Analysis of Cognitive Ability for Rural White Culturally Different Children

A Wherry-Wherry hierarchical factor solution was obtained on the correlations among 11 WISC-R subtests for a sample of 79 mentally retarded boys and girls. The findings were not only congruent with Vernons ability paradigm but also suggest that the ability structure for retardates may well be more complex than the structure for normals. The ability hierarchy for the present sample included a general (g) factor defined by positive loadings from all 11 subtests and factors corresponding to the verbal-educational (v:ed) and spatial-perceptual (k:m) parameters. In addition, a stimulus trace (ST) factor corresponding to the ability dimension described by Baumeister and Bartlett was obtained.