Concurrent validity of the PPVT-R for “at risk” preschool children

The PPVT-R and McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities were compared in a counterbalanced design for 35 preschool children identified previously as being “at risk.” Nonsignificant differences were found between Forms L and M of the PPVT-R and the McCarthy GCI. Correlations between the PPVT-R and the McCarthy GCI and Scale scores all were significant and in the moderate range of .41 to .69. Alternate form reliability of the PPVT-R was .87.     

A comparison of the PPVT-R and WISC-R with rural children referred for assessment

The present study investigated the relationship between the Revised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-R) and the WISC-R for a naturally occurring sample of rural children referred for assessment (N = 53). The results indicated that the PPVT-R was highly correlated with WISC-R scale and subtest scores. Examination of a sub-sample of developmentally handicapped students revealed substantial reduction in correlational relationships as a function of reduced sample size and restricted range of general ability. While the PPVT-R was found to underestimate all three WISC-R scale scores, the discrepancy between the PPVT-R standard scores and the WISC-R Performance Scale score was the only statistically significant underestimation. Results are discussed in terms of prior research findings and implications for interpretation.     

McCarthy scales,McCarthy screening test,and Kaufman's McCarthy short form correlations with the Peabody Individual Achievement Test

In this investigation, the relationships between the McCarthy Scales General Cognitive Index, the McCarthy Screening Test, Kaufman's McCarthy short form, and the Peabody Individual Achievement Test were examined. The sample included 39 children randomly selected from four classes in an elementary school. Results indicated that the Estimated General Cognitive Index by Kaufman's short form was virtually identical to the McCarthy Scales (full form) Index. The McCarthy Scales, McCarthy Screening Test, and Kaufman's short form all correlated significantly (p=.01) with the Peabody Individual Achievement Test, with the exception of the McCarthy Motor Scale. Moreover, there was no significant difference between the Peabody Total Test/Kaufman McCarthy short form correlation of.55 and the Peabody Total Test/McCarthy Screening Test correlation of.54 (t=0.09). Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Concurrent validity of the revised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test

In this investigation, the relationships between the Revised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the Peabody Individual Achievement Test, and McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities were explored. The sample included 26 children randomly selected from three classes in an elementary school. The Revised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test correlated positively and significantly with the Peabody Individual Achievement Test's total score (.53) and most of its subtests. The Revised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test also correlated significantly with the Verbal, Quantitative, Memory, and General Cognitive Indexes of the McCarthy Scales (Median r = .76). The mean Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test score was 104.6 and nearly identical to the McCarthy General Cognitive Index (104.4) but significantly smaller than the Peabody Individual Achievement total test score (114.5).     

Comparison of the K-ABC and PPVT-R with Head Start Chidren

The relationship between the new Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) and the Revised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-R) Forms L and M was explored for a sample of 30 predominantly black Head Start children. The highest correlations occurred between the K-ABC Achievement Scale and the PPVT-R. The K-ABC Expressive Vocabulary subtest correlated moderately highly with PPVT-R Form L, while the K-ABC Riddles subtest correlated moderately highly with PPVT-R Form M. Mean standard scores for the K-ABC Scales and subtests ranged from 11 to 20 points higher than those obtained on the PPVT-R. It would not appear redundant to administer the PPVT-R in addition to the K-ABC when one needs a receptive vocabulary measure.     

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 Children's 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, r^xy = .90. However, 40 of the 44 subjects scored higher on the Stanford-Binet than on the McCarthy Scales.     

A comparison of three different measures of intelligence with preschool children identified at-risk

This study compares three different measures of intelligence used with preschool children identified “at-risk.” Seventy preschoolers were administered the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised, and the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test. The sample consisted of 21 girls and 49 boys, of which there were 30% Orientals, 3% White, 20% Black, and 7% Native Americans. Pearson's product-moment correlation was used to analyze the data. Correlated t-tests were used to calculate the differences between the mean IQs for the tests. The PPVT-R and EOWPVT were found to be significantly correlated with the Verbal and Full Scale IQ scores of the WPPSI. In addition, the PPVT-R and EOWPVT correlated significantly with the Performance Scale IQ of the WPPSI. The results and their implication for the assessment of preschool children are discussed.     

Comparison of the predictive validities of two McCarthy short forms

Scores on Kaufman's (1977) McCarthy short form and the McCarthy Screening Test (1978) were obtained for a sample of 53 first graders in their first month of school. Nine months later, the Metropolitan Achievement Test was administered to the sample. The correlation between Kaufman's estimated General Cognitive Index and the Metropolitan Basic Battery raw score was .71. Biserial correlations between “At Risk” and “Not At Risk” classifications of the McCarthy Screening Test and Metropolitan Basic Battery raw scores ranged from .43 to .78. Kaufman's short form scores usually indicated a smaller number of false negatives than did McCarthy Screening Test scores. Implications of these findings for these findings for first-grade screening are discussed.     

Comparisons of the peabody picture vocabulary test and the McCarthy Sclaes of Children's Abilities with a sample of autistic children

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities were administered to eight autistic children. A correlated t-test and Pearson product correlations were calculated between the scores of the two tests in a within-subjects desgin. The Peabody correlated significantly with the McCarthy General Cognitive Index, Verbal Scale, perceptual Scale, and Memory Scale. A significant difference between the means of the two tests was found, with the Peabody yielding lower scores. The importance of multiskilled testing for the cognitive assessment of autistic children was discussed.     

Performance of bilingual and monolingual Hispanic children on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised and the McCarthy Perceptual Performance Scale

This study evaluated the receptive vocabulary ability and nonverbal cognitive ability of 20 monolingual (Spanish-speaking) and 11 bilingual (Spanish/English-speaking) Mexican-American preschool children, ages 45 to 65 months. The children obtained significantly lower scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) than on the Perceptual Performance Scale of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. On both measures, the bilingual group obtained significantly higher scores than did the monolingual group. The results support prior recommendations that the PPVT-R not be used to estimate the intelligence level of Hispanic children.     

Interpretation of the PPVT-R: A pure measure of verbal comprehension?

The present study examined WISC-R scale, factor, and subtest scores in relationship to PPVT-R standard scores in order to test hypotheses regarding abilities measured by the PPVT-R. For a naturally occurring sample of rural children referred for assessment (N = 51), the results of direct and stepwise regression analyses indicated that, while verbal comprehension abilities may contribute most to successful performance on the PPVT-R, perceptual organization abilities also play a significant though less substantial role in the child's performance on the PPVT-R. While Vocabulary scaled scores accounted for 63% of the variance, addition of Object Assembly and Picture Arrangement scaled scores accounted for an additional 11% of the observed variance in PPVT-R performance. Students for whom the PPVT-R overestimated WISC-R Full Scale performance differed significantly from students for whom the PPVT-R underestimated their WISC-R performance only on the WISC-R Arithmetic subtest. Implications for interpretation of the PPVT-R are discussed.     

The role of sex differences in the referral process as measured by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) are two tests that are often used in the assessment process for special education referrals. Sex differences apparent in these tests were examined in a sample of Arkansas school children who were first-time referrals for a psychological evaluation. The subjects' PPVT-R standard scores, WISC-R IQ scores, and WISC-R subtest scores were divided into groups according to one-year intervals from ages 6 through 16. A separate 2 × 11 (subjects' sex x subjects' age) analysis of variance was performed for each dependent variable. Results indicated significant sex differences among WISC-R Full Scale, Verbal, and Performance IQs and PPVT-R standard scores (p < .01). Several WISC-R subtests also revealed significant sex differences. Further significant sex differences were indicated at several age groups on each dependent variable, with males consistently scoring higher than females on 87%. of the dependent measures excluding the WISC-R subtest Coding, on which females scored higher. Implications concerning the referral process are discussed.     

A Comparison of three short forms of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities

Three short forms of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) have been developed to screen the cognitive skills of young children suspected of learning disorders and developmental delays. Based on a sample of 40 children between the ages 5–13 to 6–13, correlations of .92, .61, and .72 were obtained between the scores of the children on the full form of the MSCA and the Kaufman, Taylor, and MST short forms, respectively. The Kaufman short form also had the highest test-retest reliability at r = .87. The advantages of the Kaufman short form over the other two short forms are discussed.     

Factor structure of the McCarthy screening test

The factor structure of the McCarthy Screening Test was investigated with a sample of 555 children. The sample consisted of 300 boys and 255 girls, whose mean age was 61.4 months; approximately 80% were white and 20% were black. The data from the present study and from the MST standardization samples were analyzed by a principal components analysis (with ones in the diagonal) followed by a varimax rotation. The results from the data analysis seem to indicate that the subtests all measure parts of the same attribute (cognitive and sensorimotor functions) in varying degrees.     

Concurrent validity of the PPVT-R with the K-ABC for learning problem children

This study examined the concurrent validity of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) with 47 students referred for learning difficulties. A comparison of the correlations of each of the criterion measures from the K-ABC global scales showed a more substantial relationship between the PPVT-R standard score and the K-ABC Achievement scale than with other K-ABC scales. In an effort to further examine the relationship between the PPVT-R and the K-ABC, a stepwise multiple regression was calculated, with the standard scores of the K-ABC global scales serving as the predictor variables of the PPVT-R. This analysis indicated that the K-ABC Achievement global scale was the only significant predictor of the PPVT-R. Implications for practitioners were discussed.     

Prediction of academic achievement with the McCarthy screening test and metropolitan readiness test

There is a need for accurate, efficient assessment of children's readiness, to provide information concerning strengths and weaknesses of children and to identify those children who may be at risk for school failure. This necessitates determining the relative usefulness of instruments in predicting later school achievement. This study examined the efficacy of the McCarthy Screening Test (MST) and Metropolitan Readiness Test (MRT) to predict academic readiness at the end of kindergarten and achievement at the end of first grade. Eighty-eight children were screened upon entering kindergarten, using the MST. As a measurement of academic readiness, the MRT was administered at the end of kindergarten, and the Scott and Foresman Achievement Test (SFAT) was administered at the end of first grade as a measure of achievement. Regression analyses indicated that the MST significantly predicted children's scores on the MRT and SFAT. Additionally, the MRT was a significant predictor of the SFAT.     

Performance of gifted children on the PPVT and PPVT-R

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised were compared for 31 gifted children. The sample mean for the PPVT-R was significantly lower than for the PPVT. In addition, the PPVT and PPVT-R correlated to a significant degree, yielding a standard score correlation coefficient of .83.     

Factor structure of the McCarthy Scales in 7-year-old Spanish children

This study was designed to examine the construct validity of the McCarthy Scales for 7-year-old Spanish children, using factorial analysis. Based on a sample of 128 children with a mean General Cognitive Index of 104 (SD = 15.37), five factors were generated by principal component analysis, and one factor by principal factor analysis. An analysis of congruence between the factorial matrices of 7- and 4-year old children was performed. The degree of similarity of factors between sample was determined by means of a technique of factorial invariance using Tucker's coefficient of congruence. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Concurrent validity of the Battelle Developmental Inventory for speech and language disordered children

Concurrent validity of the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI) was investigated with speech and language disordered children between the ages of 35 and 60 months. Correlations between the BDI expressive communication subdomain and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R), Preschool Language Scale-Revised (PLS-R), and Arizona Articulation Proficiency Scale-Revised (AAPS-R) were significant. The BDI total score was also significantly correlated with the PPVT-R and the PLS-R. There were no significant differences between the three BDI developmental quotients and PPVT-R standard scores. The receptive communication subdomain of the BDI did not correlate significantly with any of the language measures.     

Further investigation of comparability of the WISC-R and PPVT-R for children and youth referred for psychological services

Comparisons of the WISC-R and PPVT-R were made with 37 students (25 boys, 12 girls). Pearson product moments (r) and two-tail f-tests were employed in the data analysis. The sample ranged in age from 6-2 to 14-6, with a mean age of 10-1, and SD=2.6. There were no significant differences between the WISC-R IQs and PPVT-R standard scores. The PPVT-R did not correlate significantly with the WISC-R IQ scales.