Multi-Informant Assessment of ADHD Symptom-Related Impairments Among Children and Adolescents.

Existing methods of assessing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are limited because they do not examine impairments in relation to symptoms of ADHD. This study investigated parent and teacher ratings of multiple domains of impairment, assessed in relation to the symptom dimensions of ADHD using the ADHD Rating Scale-5. Nationally representative samples of children rated by parents and teachers were recruited through commercial research firms. One sample included 2,079 parents who rated one of their children of age 5 to 17 years. The second sample included 1,070 teachers in grades K to 12 who rated 2 randomly selected students on their class rosters. Informants rated the extent to which each child displayed the 18 behaviors symptomatic of ADHD over the previous 6 months, as well as symptom-related impairments in the areas of family/teacher relationships, peer relationships, academics, behavior problems, homework, and self-esteem. Respondents were asked to complete the 6 impairment items after rating each of the Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity symptom items. For both informants a 6-factor model that combined impairment items across source of impairment was adequate and superior to a 2-factor structure based on source of impairment (i.e., impairment due to Inattention vs. Hyperactivity-Impulsivity). Impairment ratings were impacted by child demographic factors, but effect sizes were low. In contrast, impairment ratings were strongly related to ratings on the ADHD symptom dimensions. The study provides support for assessing 6 symptom-related domains of impairment but does not support differentiating whether Inattention or Hyperactivity-Impulsivity is the source of impairment.

Incremental validity of WISC-IV(UK) factor index scores with a referred Irish sample: predicting performance on the WIAT-II(UK.).

BACKGROUND: Subtest and factor scores have typically provided little incremental predictive validity beyond the omnibus IQ score. AIMS: This study examined the incremental validity of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth UK Edition (WISC-IV(UK) ; Wechsler, 2004a, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth UK Edition, Harcourt Assessment, London, UK) and factor index scores in predicting academic achievement on the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - Second UK Edition (WIAT-II(UK) ; Wechsler, 2005a, Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Second UK Edition, Pearson, London, UK), beyond that predicted by the WISC-IV(UK) FSIQ. SAMPLE: The sample included 1,014 Irish children (ages 6-0 to 16-9) who were referred for evaluation of learning difficulties. METHOD: Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used with the WISC-IV(UK) FSIQ (Block 1) and factor index scores (Block 2) as predictors and WIAT-II(UK) subtest and composite scores as dependent variables. RESULTS: The WISC-IV(UK) FSIQ accounted for statistically significant and generally large portions of WIAT-II(UK) subtest and composite score variance. WISC-IV(UK) factor index scores combined to provide statistically significant increments in prediction of most WIAT-II(UK) subtest and composite scores over and above the FSIQ; however, the effect sizes were mostly small as previously observed (i.e., Canivez, 2013a, Psychol. Assess., 25, 484; Glutting et al., 2006, J. Spec. Educ., 40, 103; Nelson et al., 2013, Psychol. Assess., 25, 618). Individually, the WISC-IV(UK) factor index scores provided small unique contributions to predicting WIAT-II(UK) scores. CONCLUSION: This, in combination with studies of apportioned variance from bifactor confirmatory factor analysis (Watkins et al., 2013, Int. J. Sch. Educ. Psychol., 1, 102), indicated that the WISC-IV(UK) FSIQ should retain the greatest weight in WISC-IV(UK) interpretation.

Developmentally and culturally appropriate screening in primary care: development of the behavioral health checklist.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the construct validity of the Behavioral Health Checklist (BHCL) for children aged from 4 to 12 years from diverse backgrounds. METHOD: The parents of 4-12-year-old children completed the BHCL in urban and suburban primary care practices affiliated with a tertiary-care children's hospital. Across practices, 1,702 were eligible and 1,406 (82.6%) provided consent. Children of participating parents were primarily non-Hispanic black/African American and white/Caucasian from low- to middle-income groups. Confirmatory factor analyses examined model fit for the total sample and subsamples defined by demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The findings supported the hypothesized 3-factor structure: Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, and Inattention/Hyperactivity. The model demonstrated adequate to good fit across age-groups, gender, races, income groups, and suburban versus urban practices. CONCLUSION: The findings provide strong evidence of the construct validity, developmental appropriateness, and cultural sensitivity of the BHCL when used for screening in primary care.

Bootstrap Exploratory Graph Analysis of the WISC-V with a Clinical Sample.

One important aspect of construct validity is structural validity. Structural validity refers to the degree to which scores of a psychological test are a reflection of the dimensionality of the construct being measured. A factor analysis, which assumes that unobserved latent variables are responsible for the covariation among observed test scores, has traditionally been employed to provide structural validity evidence. Factor analytic studies have variously suggested either four or five dimensions for the WISC-V and it is unlikely that any new factor analytic study will resolve this dimensional dilemma. Unlike a factor analysis, an exploratory graph analysis (EGA) does not assume a common latent cause of covariances between test scores. Rather, an EGA identifies dimensions by locating strongly connected sets of scores that form coherent sub-networks within the overall network. Accordingly, the present study employed a bootstrap EGA technique to investigate the structure of the 10 WISC-V primary subtests using a large clinical sample (N = 7149) with a mean age of 10.7 years and a standard deviation of 2.8 years. The resulting structure was composed of four sub-networks that paralleled the first-order factor structure reported in many studies where the fluid reasoning and visual-spatial dimensions merged into a single dimension. These results suggest that discrepant construct and scoring structures exist for the WISC-V that potentially raise serious concerns about the test interpretations of psychologists who employ the test structure preferred by the publisher.

Long-term stability of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-fifth edition scores in a clinical sample.

This study investigated the stability of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V) scores for 225 children and adolescents from an outpatient neuropsychological clinic across, on average, a 2.6 year test-retest interval. WISC-V mean scores were relatively constant but subtest stability score coefficients were all below 0.80 (M = 0.66) and only the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Visual Spatial Index (VSI), and omnibus Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) stability coefficients exceeded 0.80. Neither intraindividual subtest difference scores nor intraindividual composite difference scores were stable across time (M = 0.26 and 0.36, respectively). Rare and unusual subtest and composite score differences as well as subtest and index scatter at initial testing were unlikely to be repeated at retest (kappa = 0.03 to 0.49). It was concluded that VCI, VSI, and FSIQ scores might be sufficiently stable to support normative comparisons but that none of the intraindividual (i.e. idiographic, ipsative, or person-relative) measures were stable enough for confident clinical decision making.

Determining readiness for predoctoral internship training: the process of developing a screening measure.

The purpose of this study was to illustrate the development of a screening measure to assess readiness for psychology internship training. The screening measure was comprised 13 items rated on a 4-point scale. Two program faculty members reviewed the application of each candidate independently. Psychologists were arbitrarily assigned to belong to reviewer group 1 or 2. Data from group 1 were subjected to exploratory factor analysis; data from group 2 were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. Two factors were identified and confirmed: Factor I comprised 6 items referring to core competencies, and Factor II comprised 4 items referring to relevant background experiences. Correlations between raters at the factor and item level generally were in the moderate range. This study illustrates the process of developing a screening measure to help determine readiness for internship training.

Confirmatory factor analyses of the Baylor Revision of the Motivation to Read Survey (B-MRS) with middle school students.

Reading depends on the integration of both cognitive and motivational factors, yet reading motivation has received little attention in the research literature. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Baylor Revision of the Motivation to Read Survey (B-MRS; Watkins & Browning, 2015) with a sample of 731 students in Grades 6-8. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the oblique two-factor structure of the B-MRS, which was invariant across gender, and regression analyses indicated that gender and grade were not significant predictors of reading motivation. These results add to the growing body of literature providing preliminary support for the B-MRS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Does the Factor Structure of IQ Differ Between the Differential Ability Scales (DAS-II) Normative Sample and Autistic Children?

The Differential Abilities Scales, 2nd edition (DAS-II) is frequently used to assess intelligence in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it remains unknown whether the DAS-II measurement model (e.g., factor structure, loadings), which was developed on a normative sample, holds for the autistic population or requires alternative score interpretations. We obtained DAS-II data from 1,316 autistic individuals in the Simons Simplex Consortium and 2,400 individuals in the normative data set. We combined ASD and normative data sets for multigroup confirmatory factor analyses to assess different levels of measurement invariance, or how well the same measurement model fit both data sets: "weak" or metric, "strong" or scalar, and partial scalar if full scalar was not achieved. A weak invariance model showed excellent fit (Confirmatory Fit Index [CFI] > 0.995, Tucker Lewis Index [TLI] > 0.995, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] < 0.025), but a strong invariance model demonstrated a significant deterioration in fit during permutation testing (all p's<0.001), suggesting measurement bias, meaning systematic error when assessing autistic children. Fit improved significantly, and partial scalar invariance was achieved when either of the two spatial subtest (Recall of Designs or Pattern Construction) intercepts was permitted to vary between the ASD and normative groups, pinpointing these subtests as the source of bias. The DAS-II appears to measure verbal and nonverbal-but not spatial-intelligence in autistic children similarly as in normative sample children. These results may be driven by Pattern Construction, which shows higher scores than other subtests in the ASD sample. Clinicians assessing autistic children with the DAS-II should interpret verbal and nonverbal reasoning composite scores over the spatial score or General Composite Ability. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1184-1194. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: The Differential Abilities Scales, 2nd edition (DAS-II) is a popular intelligence quotient (IQ) test for assessing children with autism. This article shows that the DAS-II spatial standardized scores should be interpreted with caution because they hold a different meaning for autistic children. Verbal and nonverbal reasoning scores appear valid and to hold the same meaning for those with and without autism spectrum disorder.

DAS-II Cognitive Profiles Are Not Diagnostically Meaningful For Autism: A ROC Analysis.

Intelligence assessment is an integral part of a comprehensive autism evaluation. Many past studies have described a cognitive profile of autistic individuals characterized by higher nonverbal than verbal IQ scores. The diagnostic utility of this profile, however, remains unknown. We leveraged receiver operating characteristic methods to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of three different IQ profiles in a large sample of children who have an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (N = 1,228, Simons Simplex Collection) who completed the Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition (DAS-II), School Age compared to the normative sample provided by the DAS-II publisher (N = 2,200). The frequently discussed nonverbal > verbal IQ profile performed near chance at distinguishing ASD from normative individuals (AUC: 0.54, 95% CI [0.52-0.56]), and performed significantly worse for females than males (AUC: females: 0.46 [0.41-0.52]; males: 0.55 [0.53-0.58]). All cognitive profiles showed AUC < 0.56. We conclude that while significant differences between verbal and nonverbal IQ scores exist at the group level, these differences are small in an absolute sense and not meaningful at an individual level. We do not recommend using cognitive profiles to aid in autism diagnostic decision-making. LAY SUMMARY: Some researchers and clinicians have reported an "autistic cognitive profile" of higher nonverbal intelligence than verbal intelligence. In an analysis of over 1,000 autistic children, we found that the group's average nonverbal intelligence is usually higher than their verbal intelligence. However, this pattern should not be used by clinicians to make an individual diagnosis of autism because our results show it is not helpful nor accurate.

Construct Validity of the WISC-V in Clinical Cases: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the 10 Primary Subtests.

Independent exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) research with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V) standardization sample has failed to provide support for the five group factors proposed by the publisher, but there have been no independent examinations of the WISC-V structure among clinical samples. The present study examined the latent structure of the 10 WISC-V primary subtests with a large (N = 2,512), bifurcated clinical sample (EFA, n = 1,256; CFA, n = 1,256). EFA did not support five factors as there were no salient subtest factor pattern coefficients on the fifth extracted factor. EFA indicated a four-factor model resembling the WISC-IV with a dominant general factor. A bifactor model with four group factors was supported by CFA as suggested by EFA. Variance estimates from both EFA and CFA found that the general intelligence factor dominated subtest variance and omega-hierarchical coefficients supported interpretation of the general intelligence factor. In both EFA and CFA, group factors explained small portions of common variance and produced low omega-hierarchical subscale coefficients, indicating that the group factors were of poor interpretive value.

Construct validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale For Children - Fifth UK Edition: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the 16 primary and secondary subtests.

BACKGROUND: There is inadequate information regarding the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth UK Edition (WISC-VUK ; Wechsler, 2016a, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth UK Edition, Harcourt Assessment, London, UK) to guide interpretation. AIMS AND METHODS: The WISC-VUK was examined using complementary exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for all models proposed by Wechsler (2016b, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth UK Edition: Administration and scoring manual, Harcourt Assessment, London, UK) as well as rival bifactor models. SAMPLE: The WISC-VUK standardization sample (N = 415) correlation matrix was used in analyses due to denial of standardization sample raw data. RESULTS: EFA did not support a theoretically posited fifth factor because only one subtest (Matrix Reasoning) had a salient pattern coefficient on the fifth factor. A model with four group factors and a general intelligence factor resembling the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition (WISC-IV; Wechsler, 2003, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition, Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, TX, USA) was supported by both EFA and CFA. General intelligence (g) was the dominant source of subtest variance and large omega-hierarchical coefficients supported interpretation of the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) score. In contrast, the four group factors accounted for small portions of subtest variance and low omega-hierarchical subscale coefficients indicated that the four-factor index scores were of questionable interpretive value independent of g. Present results replicated independent assessments of the Canadian, Spanish, French, and US versions of the WISC-V (Canivez, Watkins, & Dombrowski, 2016, Psychological Assessment, 28, 975; 2017, Psychological Assessment, 29, 458; Fennollar-Cortés & Watkins, 2018, International Journal of School & Educational Psychology; Lecerf & Canivez, 2018, Psychological Assessment; Watkins, Dombrowski, & Canivez, 2018, International Journal of School and Educational Psychology). CONCLUSION: Primary interpretation of the WISC-VUK should be of the FSIQ as an estimate of general intelligence.

Significant factor score variability and the validity of the WISC-III Full Scale IQ in predicting later academic achievement.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of the WISC-III (Wechsler, 1991) Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) scores in predicting later academic achievement given significant variability among any of the four WISC-III factor scores. Taken from an archival data set, the sample was composed of 6- to 13-year-old students who were twice evaluated for special education eligibility over approximately a 3-year retest interval. Participants were separated into two groups based on the presence or absence of significant factor score variability and then matched across groups on disability, FSIQ, age, sex, and ethnicity. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that the Full Scale IQ was a valid predictor of academic achievement scores even in the presence of significant factor score variability.

Dimensions of Anxiety, Age, and Gender: Assessing Dimensionality and Measurement Invariance of the State-Trait for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety (STICSA) in an Italian Sample.

The State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety (STICSA) is a widely used measure of state and trait anxiety that permits a specific assessment of cognitive and somatic anxiety. Previous research provided inconsistent findings about its factor structure in non-clinical samples (e.g., hierarchical or bi-factor structure). To date, no psychometric validation of the Italian version of the STICSA has been conducted. Our study aimed to determine the psychometric functioning of the Italian version of the STICSA, including its dimensionality, gender and age measurement equivalence, and convergent/divergent validity in a large sample of community-dwelling participants (N = 2,938; 55.9% female). Through confirmatory factor analysis, the multidimensional structure of both State and Trait STICSA scales, with each including Cognitive and Somatic dimensions, was supported. Factor structure invariance was tested and established at configural, metric, and scalar levels for males and females. Additionally, full factorial measurement invariance was supported for the State scale across young, middle age, and old adult groups whereas the Trait scale was partially invariant across age groups. The STICSA also showed good convergent validity with concurrent anxiety measures (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory), and satisfactory internal discriminant validity with two depression measures (Teate Depression Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory-II). Results provided support for the multidimensionality of the STICSA, as well as the generalizability of the State and Trait scales as independent measures of Cognitive and Somatic symptomatology across gender in the general population. Implications for research and personality and clinical assessment are discussed.

ADHD and achievement: meta-analysis of the child, adolescent, and adult literatures and a concomitant study with college students.

This article presents results from two interrelated studies. The first study conducted a meta-analysis of the published literature since 1990 to determine the magnitude of achievement problems associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Effect sizes were significantly different between participants with and without ADHD (sample weighted r = .32, sample weighted d = . 71; p = .001). Effects were also examined according to the moderators of age, gender, achievement domain (reading, math, spelling), measurement method (standardized tests vs. grades, parent/teacher ratings, etc.), sample type (clinical vs. nonclinical), and system used to identify ADHD (DSM-III-R vs. DSM-IV). Significant differences emerged from the moderator comparisons. The second study, using averaged effect sizes from the first study as a baseline for comparison, investigated achievement levels for an understudied age group with ADHD, namely, college students. Unlike previous studies at the college level, the sample incorporated both student and parent ratings (N = 380 dyads). The results were comparable to outcomes from the meta-analysis for college students and adults. Analyses demonstrated modest (R = .21) but meaningful predictive validity across 1 year to end-of-first-year grades. However, unlike earlier studies with children and adolescents, student ratings were as predictive as parent ratings. Findings are discussed in terms of the impact of moderator variables on ADHD and achievement.

The reliability of multidimensional neuropsychological measures: from alpha to omega.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that Coefficient omega, a model-based estimate, is more a more appropriate index of reliability than coefficient alpha for the multidimensional scales that are commonly employed by neuropsychologists. METHOD: As an illustration, a structural model of an overarching general factor and four first-order factors for the WAIS-IV based on the standardization sample of 2200 participants was identified and omega coefficients were subsequently computed for WAIS-IV composite scores. RESULTS: Alpha coefficients were ≥ .90 and omega coefficients ranged from .75 to .88 for WAIS-IV factor index scores, indicating that the blend of general and group factor variance in each index score created a reliable multidimensional composite. However, the amalgam of variance from general and group factors did not allow the precision of Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) and factor index scores to be disentangled. In contrast, omega hierarchical coefficients were low for all four factor index scores (.10-.41), indicating that most of the reliable variance of each factor index score was due to the general intelligence factor. In contrast, the omega hierarchical coefficient for the FSIQ score was .84. CONCLUSIONS: Meaningful interpretation of WAIS-IV factor index scores as unambiguous indicators of group factors is imprecise, thereby fostering unreliable identification of neurocognitive strengths and weaknesses, whereas the WAIS-IV FSIQ score can be interpreted as a reliable measure of general intelligence. It was concluded that neuropsychologists should base their clinical decisions on reliable scores as indexed by coefficient omega.

Structural Validity of the WISC-IV for Students With ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the structural validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). METHOD: Confirmatory factor analyses were applied to a sample of 233 students diagnosed with ADHD by school multidisciplinary evaluation teams to evaluate the relative fit of the following competing models: (a) one factor, (b) two oblique verbal and nonverbal factors, (c) three oblique verbal, perceptual, and combined working memory/processing speed factors, (d) four oblique verbal, perceptual, working memory, and processing speed factors, (e) a higher-order model with four first-order factors, and (f) a bifactor model with four domain-specific factors. RESULTS: A higher-order four-factor model fit the data best, which was composed of a general intelligence factor and four domain-specific factors that matched the four factors specified in the WISC-IV technical and interpretive manual. Moreover, the general intelligence factor explained more than two times the total variance contributed by all four domain-specific factors combined. CONCLUSIONS: Results substantiate previous research on the WISC-IV, indicating that the general intelligence factor contributes the most reliable information. Consequently, it is recommended that interpretation of the WISC-IV remain at the Full-Scale IQ score level.

A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis of Psychometric Intelligence and Achievement in Reading and Math.

A cross-lagged panel analysis of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) intelligence test scores and reading and math achievement test scores of 337 students twice assessed for special education eligibility across a test-retest interval of 2.85 years was conducted. General intelligence (g) was loaded by the four WISC-IV factor index scores whereas reading and math were composite scores. After confirming measurement invariance, it was found that g, reading, and math were stable across time and synchronously correlated. The cross-lagged paths from g at time 1 to reading and math at time 2 (0.26 and 0.39, respectively) were both significantly greater than zero whereas the paths from reading and math at time 1 to g at time 2 (0.03 and 0.23, respectively) were not statistically significant. Given this pattern of relationships and extant research on the correlates of general intelligence, it was tentatively inferred that general intelligence was the temporal precursor to reading and math achievement.

Structural validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition: Confirmatory factor analyses with the 16 primary and secondary subtests.

The factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V; Wechsler, 2014a) standardization sample (N = 2,200) was examined using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) with maximum likelihood estimation for all reported models from the WISC-V Technical and Interpretation Manual (Wechsler, 2014b). Additionally, alternative bifactor models were examined and variance estimates and model-based reliability estimates (ω coefficients) were provided. Results from analyses of the 16 primary and secondary WISC-V subtests found that all higher-order CFA models with 5 group factors (VC, VS, FR, WM, and PS) produced model specification errors where the Fluid Reasoning factor produced negative variance and were thus judged inadequate. Of the 16 models tested, the bifactor model containing 4 group factors (VC, PR, WM, and PS) produced the best fit. Results from analyses of the 10 primary WISC-V subtests also found the bifactor model with 4 group factors (VC, PR, WM, and PS) produced the best fit. Variance estimates from both 16 and 10 subtest based bifactor models found dominance of general intelligence (g) in accounting for subtest variance (except for PS subtests) and large ω-hierarchical coefficients supporting general intelligence interpretation. The small portions of variance uniquely captured by the 4 group factors and low ω-hierarchical subscale coefficients likely render the group factors of questionable interpretive value independent of g (except perhaps for PS). Present CFA results confirm the EFA results reported by Canivez, Watkins, and Dombrowski (2015); Dombrowski, Canivez, Watkins, and Beaujean (2015); and Canivez, Dombrowski, and Watkins (2015). (PsycINFO Database Record

Construct validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth UK Edition with a referred Irish sample: Wechsler and Cattell-Horn-Carroll model comparisons with 15 subtests.

BACKGROUND: Irish educational psychologists frequently use the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth UK Edition (WISC-IVUK ; Wechsler, 2004, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth UK Edition, London, UK, Harcourt Assessment) in clinical assessments of children with learning difficulties. Unfortunately, reliability and validity studies of the WISC-IVUK standardization sample have not yet been reported. Watkins et al. (2013, International Journal of School and Educational Psychology, 1, 102) found support for a bifactor structure with a large sample (N = 794) of Irish children who were administered the 10 WISC-IVUK core subtests in clinical assessments of learning difficulties and dominance of general intelligence. Because only 10 subtests were available, Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC; McGrew, 1997, 2005, Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues, New York, NY: Guilford; Schneider & McGrew, 2012, Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues, New York, NY, Guilford Press) models could not be tested and compared. AIM, SAMPLE AND METHOD: The present study utilized confirmatory factor analyses to test the latent factor structure of the WISC-IVUK with a sample of 245 Irish children administered all 15 WISC-IVUK subtests in evaluations assessing learning difficulties in order to examine CHC- and Wechsler-based models. One through five, oblique first-order factor models and higher order versus bifactor models were examined and compared using CFA. RESULTS: Meaningful differences in fit statistics were not observed between the Wechsler and CHC representations of higher-order or bifactor models. In all four structures, general intelligence accounted for the largest portions of explained common variance, whereas group factors accounted for small to miniscule portions of explained common variance. Omega-hierarchical subscale coefficients indicated that unit-weighted composites that would be generated by WISC-IVUK group factors (Wechsler or CHC) would contain little unique variance and thus be of little value. CONCLUSION: These results were similar to those from other investigations, further demonstrating the replication of the WISC-IV factor structure across cultures and the importance of focusing primary interpretation on the FSIQ.

Latent national subpopulations of early education classroom disengagement of children from underresourced families.

This research examined the latent developmental patterns for early classroom disengagement among children from some of the most underresourced families in the nation. Based on standardized teacher observations from the Head Start Impact Study, a nationally representative sample of children (N=1377) was assessed for manifestations of reticent/withdrawn and low energy behavior over four years spanning prekindergarten through first grade. For each form of disengagement, latent growth mixture modeling revealed three distinct subpopulations of change patterns featuring a dominant class associated with generally good classroom adjustment, a medial class that varied close to the population average over time, and a more extreme class (about 10% of the population) whose adjustment was relatively marginal and sometimes reached problematic levels. Whereas reticent/withdrawn behavior ordinarily subsided over time, low energy behavior increased. More extreme low energy behaviors tended to dissipate through schooling and extreme reticence/withdrawal became more accentuated, with both types associated with later academic and social problems. Attendant risk and protective factors are identified and mitigating assessment and prevention measures are discussed.