The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV)

The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - Fourth Edition, Australian and New Zealand Standardised Edition (WPPSI-IV A&NZ) is an individually administered and comprehensive clinical instrument used to assess the general thinking and reasoning skills of children aged 2 years, 6 months to 7 years, 7 months. Test results include a Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (IQ) score as well as age-equivalent rankings and scores for Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, and Working Memory composites for ages 2 years, 6 months to 3 years, 11 months. For ages 4 years to 7 years, 7 months, test results include a Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (IQ) score as well as age-equivalent rankings and scores for Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed composites.

The WPPSI-IV can be used to identify intellectual disabilities, giftedness, and specific learning disabilities, place people in specialised programs, and initiate clinical intervention. The assessment usually takes one and a half to two hours and is administered using hands-on materials that are child-friendly and developmentally appropriate.

Our assessment scores are analysed and reported by experienced clinicians.

Skills assessed with the WPPSI-IV A&NZ

The WPPSI-IV psychometric test was recently updated (2014) to incorporate 57 years of research and advances in intellectual assessment and reflect the practical and clinical needs of contemporary society.

The WPPSI-IV has 6 primary subtests for ages 2 years, 6 months to 3 years, 11 months:

• Receptive Vocabulary and Information are the two primary subtests that comprise the Verbal Comprehension composite score
• Block Design and Object Assembly are the two primary subtests that comprise the Visual Spatial composite score
• Picture Memory and Zoo Locations are the two primary subtests that comprise the Working Memory composite score

The six primary subtests; however, do not contribute equally to the Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient or IQ score. The Full-Scale IQ is comprised of five primary subtests: 

• Receptive Vocabulary
• Information
• Block Design
• Object Assembly
• Picture Memory

The Subtests of the WPPSI-IV A&NZ

 The WPPSI-IV has 10 primary subtests for ages 4 years to 7 years, 7 months:

• Information and Similarities are the two primary subtests that comprise the Verbal Comprehension composite score
• Block Design and Object Assembly are the two primary subtests that comprise the Visual-Spatial composite score
• Matrix Reasoning and Picture Concepts are the two primary subtests that comprise the Fluid Reasoning composite score
• Picture Memory and Zoo Locations are the two primary subtests that comprise the Working Memory composite score
• Bug Search and Cancellation are the two primary subtests that comprise the Processing Speed composite score

The ten primary subtests; however, do not contribute equally to the Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient or IQ score. The Full-Scale IQ is comprised of six primary subtests: 

• Information
• Similarities
• Block Design
• Matrix Reasoning
• Picture Memory
• Bug Search

More about the WPPSI-IV A&NZ measures

• The Verbal Comprehension Index measures a child’s ability to access and apply acquired word knowledge. Specifically, this score reflects one’s ability to verbalise meaningful concepts, think about verbal information, and express oneself using words or a pointed response.
• The Visual Spatial Index measures a child’s ability to evaluate visual details and understand visual-spatial relationships to construct geometric designs from a model or puzzles from a picture. This skills require visual-spatial reasoning, integration and synthesis or part-whole relationships, attentiveness to visual detail, hand-eye co-ordination, and working quickly and efficiently with visual information
• The Fluid Reasoning Index measures a child’s ability to detect the underlying conceptual relationship among visual objects and use reasoning to identify and apply rules. Identification and application of conceptual relationships require inductive and quantitative reasoning, broad visual intelligence, simultaneous processing, and abstract thinking
• The Working Memory Index measures a child’s ability to register, maintain, and manipulate visual and auditory information in conscious awareness. These tasks measure one’s skills in attention, concentration, and mental reasoning, as well as visual and auditory discrimination. This skill is closely related to learning and achievement
• The Processing Speed Index measures a child’s speed and accuracy of visual identification, decision-making, and decision implementation. Performance is related to visual scanning, visual discrimination, short-term visual memory, visuomotor coordination, and concentration. This skill may be important to a child’s development in reading and ability to think quickly in general.

The Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) score is derived from five subtests for children aged 2 years, 6 months to 3 years, 11 months. It summarises ability across the three areas of cognitive ability: Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, and Working Memory. The FSIQ score is derived from six subtests for children aged 4 years to 7 years 7 months. It summarises ability across the five areas of cognitive ability: Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed. The WPPSI-IV FSIQ is one way to view a child’s general intellectual functioning.

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