psychometrics exam 2 - achievement tests & learning disabilities

WRAT

screening test that measures basic academic skills, norm-referenced on representative sample

• ages 5-94

• 8yr-adult takes 30-45mins; younger children takes 15-20 mins

• blue & green forms - alt forms reliability

WRAT subtests

• word reading (pronunciation)

• sentence comprehension

• spelling

• math computation

  • reading composite score (combo of word reading & sentence comprehension)

• M =100, SD = 15

SEM

SEM = SD x sqrt(1-r)

confidence intervals

68% = x ± 1SEM

95% = x ± 2SEM

learning disability

need both individual intelligence test & individual achievement test

• cant include people w other disabilities that could impact performance

• cant include environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantages

• MUST involve intraindividual discrepancy & exclusionary cause

area of learning disabilities

1. oral expression (verbal)

2. listening comprehension

3. written expression

4. basic reading skill

5. reading comprehension

6. math calculation (doing math)

7. math reasoning (setting up equation from word problem)

discrepancy model

diff between individual intelligence test score & individual achievement test score

• intelligence score generally at least 1SD above their level of specific achievement

• problems

  • some struggle but cant meet 1SD criteria

  • new consensus helps this by allowing them to be compared to themselves - intraindividual weakness relative to strengths in other core areas

verbal learning disability

dyslexia-reading

• difficulty in learning to read or spell

• problems associating sounds with letter combination

• left cerebral hemisphere

• makes up 90% of all LD

• 3-4:1 boys to girls - nature vs, nurture

nonverbal learning disability

right hemisphere - dyscalculia & dysgraphia (math & writing) or social cognition

• problems in visuospatial perception

• likely right hemisphere

• makes up 10% of all LD

• equal across gender

standard error of difference

helps determine whether a diff between scores (discrepancy) is significant

SEdif = SD (sqrt( 2-r1-r2))

significance

sign (5%) = 2 x SEdif