Relationships between scores on the Peabody picture vocabulary test--revised and the McCarthy scales of children's abilities.

Abstract

Diagnosticians involved in the assessment of children's intelligence need to be provided with information on the validity of testing instruments as well as the specific abilities that are assessed by various tests. Prior to a test gaining acceptance as an appropriate instrument for measuring intelligence, its concurrent validity must be substantiated. The present study was designed to establish the concurrent criterion-related validity of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) by comparing it with the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA). Thirty-two children (17 boys and 15 girls) ranging in age from 4 years, 2 months to 6 years, 3 months were administered both instruments in the study. The MSCA yielded four scores (Verbal, Perceptual-Performance, Quantitative and General Cognitive Index) and the PPVT-R produced one score (Standard Score Equivalent). All of the mean scores obtained in the study were somewhat higher than the normative samples for both instruments. Although the overall mean scores on the two instruments were very similar, the tests correlated at a low level. A 2 X 2 X 5 mixed factor analysis of variance was conducted to examine differences in gender (Boys, Girls), grade-level (Preschool, Kindergarten) and test scores (Verbal, Perceptual-Performance, Quantitative, General cognitive Index and PPVT-R Standard Score Equivalents). No significant main effects were established, nor were any of the interactions significant. The limited sample size included in this study may have influenced the outcome of the study. Therefore, further research is needed in this area in the future with a larger, more diverse sample.