Kathryn Clark Gerken

Correlations between Scores for Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—III and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—III

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–IIIA and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—III were given to 35 elementary students ranging in age from 7 to 11.5 years (M = 8.6 yr.). Correlations of .56 to .88 (corrected for restriction of range) were found between the standard scores of the two tests. The highest correlation (.88) was between the WISC–III Verbal IQ and the PPVT–III, while the lowest (.56) was between the WISC–III Processing Speed and the PPVT–III. More research is needed on the magnitudes of correlation between these tests. As previously noted in the literature, scores of receptive language tests and cognitive tests are not interchangeable.

A Comparison of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities with Preschool Children.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the degree to which performance on the McCarthy Scaies of Childrens Abilities correlated with performance on the Stanford-Binet for a group of preschoolers. The sample consisted of 44 children ranging in age from 3–11 to 5–4. It was found that the General Cognitive Index scores of the McCarthy Scales correlated well with the Stanford-Binet IQ scores, rxy = .90. However, 40 of the 44 subjects scored higher on the Stanford-Binet than on the McCarthy Scales.

Perceived Effectiveness of School Psychological Services: A Comparative Study.

Abstract In order to isolate variables present in school psychologists which may enhance effective delivery of school psychological service, supervisors of psychological services, classroom teachers, and building principals within the state of Iowa were asked to evaluate the performance of their school psychologist in 10 functional areas. Both supervisors and classroom teachers perceived those school psychologists with 4–9 years experience as the most effective. Teaching experience, as a requirement for school psychology certification, did not receive support. The level of training for the psychologist (degree) yielded conflicting results among the raters.

The assessment of at‐risk infants and toddlers with the Bayley Mental Scale and the Battelle Developmental Inventory: Beyond the data

The purpose of this study was to compare the usefulness of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID)-Mental Scales and the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI) in assessing the abilities of infants and toddlers from teen-parent families. The 34 children lived with their mothers, who ranged in age from 15 to 21. The results of the study indicate that these two developmental instruments cannot be used interchangeably and that one needs to look beyond the psychometric data in order to understand the results of infant and toddler assessment. The correlation between the BSID-Mental Development Index (MDI) and BDI Total score was −.03.

Prenatal Exposure and Public Policy: Implications for Pregnant and Parenting Women and Their Families

Children who are prenatally exposed to illicit substances are commonly identified through toxicologic screening of their mothers. Toxicologic screening does not distinguish between maternal use and abuse. However, children are identified as “prenatally exposed,” and the decisions that follow are often the result of conclusions that are based on laboratory findings. The purpose of this article is to examine methods used to identify pregnant and parenting women as users of illicit drugs, policies and practices that are barriers for those who need treatment, and the need for expanded services and interagency support for these women and their children.

CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON OF CLINICAL SAMPLES OF NORWEGIAN AND IOWAN WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE-RELATED DISORDERS

The purpose of this study was to compare two clinical samples of women substance abusers, one from Iowa and one from Norway, along several dimensions: “substance abuse” history, current “abuse” pattern, parental and spouse drinking history, symptoms of psychological distress, and “vulnerability” to relapse. A higher percentage of women substance abusers from Iowa were divorced and lived alone, were “vulnerable” to relapse, and reported more life problems secondary to their substance use than women from Norway. The Iowa women had used more substances in addition to alcohol than had the Norwegian women. The Norwegian women reported greater intensity of emotional distress than the women from Iowa.