Administered Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R), and Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT) to 70 preschoolers identified at-risk. PPVT-R and EOWPVT were found to be significantly correlated with Verbal and Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores of…

Reports on a survey investigating the use of dynamic assessment and other nontraditional techniques among school psychologists (N=226). Results indicated that 39% of respondents reported using dynamic assessment techniques once a year or more. The most frequently endorsed reasons for not using dynamic assessment were lack of knowledge and time…

New procedures for assessing the behavior of children in an environmental context are available to the school psychologist. The procedures, which are sometimes called psychosituational or informal assessments, examine the influence of the external environment as setting the occasion for emotional and behavioral problems. (Author)

Elementary teachers (N=209) completed questionnaires assessing attitudes toward preassessment procedures. Results indicated that teachers with over six years of teaching experience had significantly more negative attitudes toward preassessment than did teachers with under two years of experience. Teachers who had made referrals to preassessment…

Evaluates diagnostic utility of Bannatyne's recategorized WISC-R scores in differentiating among children referred to a developmental evaluation center. Results failed to provide support for the diagnostic utility of recategorized WISC-R scores in general. Use of measure is limited in differentiating psychological and learning problems. (Author/CJ)

Investigated scoring agreement among three different training levels of Visual Motor Integration Test (VMI) diagnosticians. Correlational data demonstrated high interexaminer reliabilities; however, there were gross errors in precision after raw scores had been converted into VMI age equivalent scores. (Author/RC)

Surveyed school psychologists regarding identification of mentally retarded students. The Wechsler scales were the most frequently used tests for deriving intelligence quotient scores, which together with adaptive behavior scale scores were rated as most influential in identification-placement decisions. The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales were…

The Koppitz Human Figure Drawing (HFD) Test was examined for use in early identification of academically not-ready kindergarten children. HFD scores of children who later "passed" the Metropolitan Readiness Test were compared with HFD scores of children who later "failed." Results indicate that HFD scores are useful in…

Used four-subtest short form of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised to develop efficient, simultaneous screening/assessment procedure for identifying gifted students for special programs. Estimated statistical relationship between subtest and full-test scores using test score data from 203 students. Found subtest score of 52 both…

Notes that adolescents with alcohol or drug problems may be referred to school psychologists for assessment and may demonstrate symptoms similar to learning disabilities or emotional disturbance. Discusses prereferral questionnaires, initial interviews, behavioral observations, and assessment devices to help psychologists determine probability…

Compared the assessments of 18 judges asked to use an array of information to differentiate learning disabled students. Found judges extremely inaccurate and in little agreement with each other. Different judges emphasized different factors. Results cast doubt on the ability of school personnel to identify learning disabilities accurately.…

Examined assessment practices in 54 model programs for early education of handicapped children (ages prenatal through six years). Results showed only 19 tests were used by at least five programs; only one device was used by over one-half. Although technical adequacy was reportedly an important factor in selection, analysis revealed only three…

Uses a case vignette to consider the possibility that the Rorschach FM index may be a forerunner of abstract thinking. Data support the major finding that FM may enable educational diagnosticians to more accurately estimate the intellectual capabilities of some preschool minority and other culturally disadvantaged children. (Author/JAC)