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.     

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).     

The McCarthy scales and Kaufman's McCarthy short form correlations with the comprehensive test of basic skills

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the predictive validity of Kaufman's short form version of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities for samples of English-speaking and Spanish-speaking Mexican-American children. Comparisons of the observed correlations between the McCarthy General Cognitive Index (GCI) and Kaufman's estimated GCI with academic achievement (as measured by the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills) showed that the conventional McCarthy and Kaufman's short form predicted achievement about equally well. Implication of this finding was discussed in light of supportive evidence for the validity of the Kaufman short form and in the context of screening of culturally diverse children.     

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.     

Cross-validation of the factor structure of the McCarthy scales for kindergarten children

This study was designed to cross-validate the factor structure of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities for children 5 to 6 1/2 years of age. A factor analysis was performed on a group of 105 children with a mean General Cognitive Index (GCI) of 115.42. The subjects ranged in age from 4–11 to 6–7 with a mean age of 5–6. The age variable was partialled from each score using multiple regression procedures. Five factors were generated, including Verbal Comprehension, Quantitative-Reasoning, Memory, Perceptual-Performance, and Motor factors. These data were subsequently compared to Kaufman's factor analytic studies with the McCarthy standardization group, and to the scale structure of the instrument. In general, the overall factor pattern of this study provides further evidence of the construct validity of the McCarthy Scales for kindergarten children.     

The McCarthy scales of children's abilities as a predictor of reading readiness and reading achievement

The purpose of the present study was to determine if the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities could be utilized as a predictor of reading readiness and reading achievement. Thirty-three kindergarten children were tested with the McCarthy Scales and subsequently examined with the MacMillan Reading Readiness Test and the Metropolitan Achievement Test. A correlational analysis of data resulted in significant relationships between McCarthy General Cognitive Indexes, Quantitative, and Perceptual-Performance Scales and both the MacMillan and Metropolitan Tests. Based upon these correlations, it was hypothesized that, for this sample of children, visual discrimination and sequential ability skills may have been crucial factors in reading readiness and reading achievement, rather than verbal abilities.     

Comparison of the peabody picture vocabulary test-revised and the McCarthy screening test

The relationship between the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) and the McCarthy Screening Test (MST) was investigated with a sample of 39 Caucasian children from a semirural, Northeastern Ohio school district. The sample consisted of 23 males and 16 females, whose mean age was 62.3 months. Pearson product moment correlations were obtained between the measures, and correlated t-tests were completed. All of the subtests of the MST, excluding Numerical Memory and Leg Coordination, correlated positively and significantly with the PPVT-R. Discussion regarding the relationship found between the MST and the PPVT-R and that previously found between the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) and the PPVT-R is presented.     

A short form of the McCarthy scales of children's abilities: Methodological and clinical applications

The McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) was administered to 50 kindergarten-aged children to obtain General Cognitive Indices (GCI). A short form of the MSCA was developed by using a step-wise regression analysis to select the six subtests that best predicted the GCI. The potential use of such a short form for kindergarten screening was discussed.     

Diagnostic use of the WISC-R and McCarthy Scales: A regression analysis approach to learning disabilities

Thirty learning disabled and 30 nonlearning disabled students were individually administered the WISC-R, McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, and the Wide Range Achievement Test. Regression analyses were conducted to determine the combination of scores from the WISC-R and McCarthy Scales that best predicted the achievement level of the subjects. In addition, the scores that best predicted group status (LD or nonLD) were determined. In general, the WISC-R Comprehension, Arithmetic, and Object Assembly, and the McCarthy Quantitative and Memory Indices were most sensitive to the LD students' achievement. Conversely, the WISC-R Similarities and Arithmetic and the McCarthy Verbal Index were most sensitive to the achievement of nonLD students. Finally, the McCarthy Perceptual-Performance Index and the WISC-R Vocabulary subtest best discriminated group status. The diagnostic implications of these results were discussed.     

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.     

Relationship among McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities,WPPSI, and Columbia mental maturity scale

Concurrent validity of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities for 60 kindergartners was investigated, using the WPPSI and Columbia Mental Maturity Scale. Although correlations were of acceptable magnitude, the General Cognitive Index of the MSCA was significantly lower than major scores obtained on the other two tests. Analyses of the different scales of the MSCA are also reported.     

The McCarthy scales of Children's Abilities as a predictor of achievement: A five-year follow-up

The purpose of the present study was to determine if the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities could be utilized as a predictor of achievement over a six-year period. Twenty-four kindergarten children were tested with the McCarthy Scales and subsequently examined with the Comprehensive Testing Program achievement tests in sixth grade. A correlational analysis of the data resulted in significant relationships between the McCarthy General Cognitive Index, Quantitative Scale, and Memory Scale and both the CTP and course grades. The McCarthy Perceptual-Performance Scale showed significant correlations with the CTP but not with course grades; the Verbal Scale was not predictive of academic achievement. The significance of these findings is discussed.     

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.     

Stability of the McCarthy scales of children's abilities over a one-year period for Mexican-American children

The focus of the present study was to examine the stability of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities for a sample of 42 English-speaking and 42 Spanish-speaking Mexican-American preschoolers of low SES background. The subjects were retested after a period of one year, and a test-retest stability coefficient of .88 was observed for the General Cognitive Index for the English-speaking children and .77 for the Spanish-speaking children. It was concluded that the results of the present study provide some preliminary evidence that the McCarthy is a relatively stable instrument for English-speaking Mexican-American children.     

K-ABC and McCarthy scale performance among “at-risk” and normal preschoolers

This study assessed the degree of comparability between the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (McCarthy) and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) for 51 “at-risk” (Low Birthweight, Head Start, and Developmentally Delayed) and 33 “normal” preschool children. The K-ABC Mental Processing Composite (MPC) and McCarthy General Cognitive Index (GCI) correlated significantly for both groups, but was significantly greater for the at-risk preschoolers. The at-risk group achieved a significantly higher mean MPC than GCI, while the normal comparison subjects achieved a slightly lower mean MPC. As reflected in previous studies, the GCI seems to provide an accurate estimate of the at-risk child's typical classroom performance. While the MPC may afford an estimate of such children's capacity for academic growth, if provided appropriately tailored remediation, it may also be missing critical aspects of children's cognitive functioning. Mean score discrepancies for at-risk preschoolers were discussed in relation to the theoretical and psychometric properties of the K-ABC and McCarthy.     

Factor structure of the McCarthy Scales for Children experiencing problems in school

The McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) were factor analyzed for a group of 6- to 8 1/2-year-old children referred for school-related problems. The sample was composed of 300 rural eastern North Carolina public school children with a mean GCI of 88.1. Evidence was found for factors similar to three of the six MSCA Scales: General Cognitive, Verbal, and Motor. Coefficients of congruence were computed and compared with earlier analyses of the standardization data. The results were interpreted as generally supporting the MSCA's validity with children experiencing problems in school. Implications for interpretation of the MSCA Scales were presented.     

Interpreting the differences: A reply to Kaufman

Kaufman's critique of our article was based on a misunderstanding of our purpose and procedures. This reply clarifies those points and suggests further areas of concern regarding the McCarthy Screening Test.     

SOME PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING PROGRAMMED LEARNING

The McCarthy Scales are a versatile and increasingly popular test of children's cognitive abilities. However, much of their high standing as an assessment instrument rests on the construct validity of each of the ability scales. A major recent study of the construct validity of the McCarthy Scales concluded that only the General Cognitive Index stood up to critical evaluation. The purpose of the present paper is to highlight some inadequacies in this critical study, and then to give an evaluation of the construct validity of the McCarthy Scales which is based on the findings from recent British research.     

The screening test of academic readiness (STAR) as a predictor of third-grade achievement

Twenty-eight third graders were administered the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) during the middle third of their third-grade year. Their scores on all subtests of the PIAT were correlated with their Total scores obtained on the Screening Test of Academic Readiness (STAR), which had been administered to them prior to their kindergarten year of school. Results show that the STAR is a useful instrument for predicting third-grade achievement.     

A McCarthy short form for rapid screening of preschool,kindergarten, and first-grade children

A short form of the McCarthy was developed primarily to help meet the needs for a well-normed brief instrument to be used for the rapid screening of preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade children. The proposed short form comprises 6 of the 15 tests in the General Cognitive Scale: Puzzle Solving, Word Knowledge, Numerical Memory, Verbal Fluency, Counting and Sorting, and Conceptual Grouping. The abbreviated form was specifically geared to the 3–6 year age range, although equations to convert short-form score to estimated General Cognitive Index were provided for children across the entire span of $\text{2}\text{1}\text{2}$ to $\text{8}\text{1}\text{2}$ years. The short form was shown to have a standard error of estimate of about 6 points and to have excellent psychometric properties in general.