PRACTICAL INTERPRETATIONS OF THE WISC-III WITH LANGUAGE-DISORDERED CHILDREN

Scores on the seven WISC-III IQ/Index measures and the four Mental Pro cessing variables of the K-ABC were compared for 40 children (M age = 9.0) classified as severely language disordered. All means were depres sed and ranged from 68.80 (Freedom from Distractibility Index) to 84.9 0 (Simultaneous Processing), which suggests cognitive deficits that ex tend beyond language. Correlations and t-test analyses compared the Fu ll Scale IQ/Mental Processing Composite, Performance IQ/Nonverbal, Per ceptual Organization/Simultaneous, and Freedom from Distractibility/Se quential scores. All correlation coefficients were in the .70s, althou gh the K-ABC scores were significantly higher than the corresponding W ISC-III variables. Given the critical language deficiencies of this po pulation, it was concluded that the least biased assessment of cogniti ve ability would consist of nonverbal, performance-based items.