WISC-IV Analysis

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) is an individual test of intellectual ability for children ages 6-16 (Williams, Weiss, & Rolfhus, 2003). The WISC-IV can be used to show discrepancies between a child's intelligence and his or her performance at school (Devena & Watkins, 2012). The analysis of each subtest within the WISC-IV can aid in the diagnosis of learning disabilities. The WISC-IV can also be used to assess a child's cognitive development, with respect to the child's chronological age (Devena & Watkins, 2012).
The WISC-IV standardization sample is “representative of the U.S. population of children age 6-16” (Williams et al., 2003, p. 3). “Based on U.S. Bureau of Census data from the March 2000 census, the stratified random sampling plan utilized the following variables: age, sex, race, parent education level, and geographic region” (Williams et …show more content…
3). “The standardization sample for the WISC-IV included 2,200 children who were divided by age into eleven groups, each consisting of 200 children” (Williams et al., 2003, p. 3).
Test administration of the WISC-IV varies between 45 and 90 minutes (Williams et al., 2003). Ideally, the test is administered in one session. However, it is sometimes administered over several sessions due to time restrictions, or the child showing signs of fatigue (Williams et al., 2003). The test is administered in a standardized manner to enhance reliability and maintain consistency. The test administrator must deliver the core subtests in the same order for each child assessed (Williams et al., 2003). In order to avoid score inflation, the WISC-IV cannot be re-administered within a one-year period (Williams et al., 2003). In the interests of fairness and ethical treatment during the WISC-IV testing process, uniform directions, specific time limits, specific room arrangements, and the use of qualified proctors prevent differences in administration procedures