The performance of learning disabled children on the Kaufman assessment battery for children and the Bender-Gestalt test

Results of the K-ABC and Bender-Gestait Test were compared for a sample of LD children that included 24 blacks and 24 whites: mean age 9 years, SD = 1–2. A nonsignificant difference was found between the mean scores of the K-ABC Sequential and Simultaneous Scales. A significant (p<.01) correlation coefficient was found between the K-ABC Simultaneous Scale and the Bender-Gestalt Test error score (r = −.57). A nonsignificant correlation coefficient was found between the K-ABC Sequential Scale and the Bender-Gestalt Test error score (r = −.20). Implications of these findings are discussed.     

A comparison of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children and the Stanford-Binet IV for the assessment of gifted children

The K-ABC and the Stanford-Binet IV (abbreviated test battery) were administered in a counterbalanced order to 32 gifted third- and fourth-grade students. It was found that the Stanford-Binet IV produced scores that were an average of eight points higher than those on the K-ABC. The concurrent validity coefficient of .70 indicated a high degree of association between test performance on these two tests. When the diagnostic heuristic of +2 SDs is used to identify gifted children, 68.6% concordance was found between these tests. Eighty percent of the discordance involved cases in which the Binet IQ was above +2 SDs and the K-ABC was below +2 SDs. Implication for the assessment of gifted children is discussed.     

Validation of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children with a sample of preschool children

The validity of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) (Kaufman & Kaufman, 1983) was investigated with a sample of preschool-age children. The sample consisted of 50 subjects aged 21/2 through 4 who were distributed roughly equally by age, sex, and race according to the 1980 census. The validity of the K-ABC was examined using the Slosson Intelligence Test (SIT) (Slosson, 1982) and the Classroom Behavior Inventory-Preschool Form (CBI) (Schaefer & Edgerton, 1978) as criterion measures. The SIT and CBI-Preschool Form Verbal Intelligence Scale were found to correlate significantly (p<.01) with the global scales of the K-ABC. The K-ABC did not differentiate between age or sex groups, but blacks scored lower than whites. The findings are supportive of previous validity studies (Kaufman & Kaufman, 1983) and two-factor theories of intelligence (e.g., Das, Kirby, & Jarman, 1975).     

Construct validity of the Kaufman assessment battery for children with learning disabled and mentally retarded

This study investigated the construct validity of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) via correlational procedures with the WISC-R. Thirty-two special population children selected from kindergarten through grade five participated in the study; 19 children were diagnosed as learning disabled, 13 as educable mentally retarded. A high relationship between the WISC-R FSIQ and the K-ABC Mental Processing composite revealed evidence of construct validity in the measurement of intelligence. The K-ABC diagnosed the learning disabled but failed to diagnose the mentally retarded children. The K-ABC Sequential Processing Scale appeared to offer a unique construct (analytic, temporal sequencing) not measured by the WISC-R. Implications for the usefulness of the K-ABC are discussed.     

The utility of the Kaufman assessment battery for children (K-ABC) and the wechsler intelligence scales for linguistically different children: Clinical considerations

Little literature addresses the difficulty of conducting an unbiased assessment of youngsters whose second language is English but who are conversational in English and no longer qualify for English as a Second Language services. Academic difficulty frequently persists, although the children appear functional in English. The use of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) is discussed in relation to the Wechsler Intelligence Scale as a second measure of cognitive ability for youngsters of various linguistic backgrounds. In the cases presented, the use of the K-ABC illustrated that the youngsters had higher cognitive ability than was measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), which in turn guided educational decisions. Additionally, the utility of the K-ABC for assessing youngsters from linguistic backgrounds that may not be adequately represented in the norm sample is suggested. Implications for school psychology practice are discussed.     

Stability of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children For A Sample Of At-Risk Preschool Children

This study examined the stability of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) for a sample of at-risk preschool children. Over a 9-month time interval, the stability coefficients (corrected for restriction in range) for the global scales of the K-ABC ranged from .78 to .88. The stability coefficients (corrected for restriction in range) for the K-ABC subtests ranged from .65 to .79. It was concluded that scores on the K-ABC for at-risk preschool children display adequate stability, but that the Simultaneous scale appears to be more amenable to change than either the Sequential or Achievement scales.     

Profile analysis of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children,Second Edition,with African American and Caucasian preschool children

This study used profile analysis to investigate the interpretability of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (KABC‐II), in terms of the Cattell‐Horn‐Carroll (CHC) theory among ethnically diverse preschool children. Forty‐nine African American and 49 Caucasian preschool children from a Midwestern city were included in the study and were matched for age, sex, and level of parental education. The profile analysis examining CHC broad abilities showed that the African American and Caucasian preschool children had similar patterns of highs and lows and performed at the same level with no significant difference between the two groups in their overall mean IQ. Profile analysis of the KABC‐II subtests found that although the African American and Caucasian groups performed overall at a similar level, they did not show the same pattern of highs and lows in subtest performance. Specifically, Caucasian preschoolers scored significantly higher than their African American counterparts on the Expressive Vocabulary subtest. Overall, the two groups displayed remarkably similar performance on the KABC‐II. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Convergent and discriminant validity of the mental processing scales of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children

Convergent and discriminant validity of the Mental Processing Scales of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) were examined using 51 first-grade children. Convergent validity was assessed using the Reading Recognition and Comprehension subtests of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test. Discriminant validity was assessed using a measure of anxiety/self-esteem, the Child Anxiety Scale, and a measure of hyperactive behavior, the Hyperactivity scale of the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist. Results supported the convergent validity of the K-ABC; correlations with reading achievement were fairly large. The discriminant validity received only partial support. The K-ABC did not correlate with the Child Anxiety Scale, but did show rather large correlations with the measure of hyperactive behavior. Implications for understanding what the K-ABC Mental Processing Scales are measuring are discussed.     

A predictive validity study of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children with the California Achievement Test

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) was administered to 44 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-grade students. Six months later, all students received the California Achievement Test (CAT). Significant positive correlations were obtained between K-ABC variables and CAT scores. CAT subtest scores and total score correlated higher with the K-ABC ACHV scale than with the K-ABC SEQ, SIM, or MPC scales on 8 of the 12 comparisons. The results support the predictive utility of the K-ABC, and also provide support for the differential validity of the K-ABC achievement vs. mental processing scales.     

Increasing the Reliability of Ability-Achievement Difference Scores: An Example Using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children

In this study, we focused on increasing the reliability of ability-achievement difference scores using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC) as an example. Ability-achievement difference scores are often used as indicators of learning disabilities, but when they are derived from traditional equally weighted ability and achievement scores, they have suboptimal psychometric properties because of the high correlations between the scores. As an alternative to equally weighted difference scores, we examined an orthogonal reliable component analysis, (RCA) solution and an oblique principal component analysis (PCA) solution for the standardization sample of the KABC (among 5- to 12-year-olds). The components were easily identifiable as the simultaneous processing, sequential processing, and achievement constructs assessed by the KABC. As judged via the score intercorrelations, all three types of scores had adequate convergent validity, while the orthogonal RCA scores had superior discriminant validity, followed by the oblique PCA scores. Differences between the orthogonal RCA scores were more reliable than differences between the oblique PCA scores, which were in turn more reliable than differences between the traditional equally weighted scores. The increased reliability with which the KABC differences are assessed with the orthogonal RCA method has important practical implications, including narrower confidence intervals around difference scores used in individual administrations of the KABC.     

Use of the WISC-R and K-ABC with learning disabled,borderline mentally retarded,and normal children

The aim of this investigation was to examine normal (N = 34), learning disabled (N = 34), and borderline mentally retarded (N = 33) children's performance on the WISC-R and K-ABC. Results revealed no significant differences between the WISC-R Full Scale IQ and K-ABC Mental Processing Composite by group (F = 0.7, p > .15). The Full Scale IQ and Mental Processing Composite standard score correlated .85 for the entire sample, and all other subscale correlations ranged from .65 to .90 (all significant at p < .001). Analysis of Verbal-Performance, Mental Processing-Achievement, and Simultaneous-Sequential discrepancy means by group revealed no significant differences in comparison to normative values. Subtest patterns analysis revealed high rank order correlations between the learning disabled and mentally retarded groups, but lower correlations between the exceptional and normal groups. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

An investigation of the K-ABC,WISC-R,and W-JPB,part two,with learning disabled children

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC), the WISC-R, and the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery (W-JPB), Part Two, with children who experience learning disabilities. Correlational analyses were used to examine relationships among the WISC-R, K-ABC Mental Processing and Achievement scales, and the W-JPB Achievement scales. Thirty-four children with learning disabilities (mean age 8–11 years) received all three measures. Correlation coefficients indicated stronger and more consistent relationships between the WISC-R and W-JPB Achievement tests than between the K-ABC and W-JPB Achievement tests. Significant relationships between the WISC-R Full Scale IQ and the K-ABC Mental Processing Composite (MPC) revealed evidence of validity for this learning disabled sample. However, correlation coefficients among the K-ABC Achievement subtests and the W-JPB Achievement clusters indicated both convergent and discriminant validity. Thus, it is suggested that both the K-ABC MPC, for assessment of cognitive abilities, and the W-JPB Achievement clusters could be employed in discrepancy formulas for special education placement of children with learning disabilities.     

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.     

The social perception of learning disabled and non‐learning disabled children

This study was undertaken to determine if there were differences in the social perception of learning disabled and non‐learning disabled youngsters, whether social perception was related to sex and if interaction by sex and learning disability status was involved. Fifty‐seven elementary school children aged 9 to 11 years were given four measures of social perception. Results showed that learning disabled children differed significantly (p .01) from their non‐learning disabled peers on each of the four measures. Neither sex nor group by sex interaction was significant. Assessment and intervention aimed at improving social perceptual skills should be incorporated into educational programming for those learning disabled children who exhibit deficiencies in this area of functioning.