WPPSI-R/WISC-R: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Twenty-five girls and 25 boys, whose ages ranged from 72 to 86 months, were administered the WPPSI-R and WISC-R to obtain comparative and validity data and investigate the effects of administration order. For the total sample, WISC-R scores were higher on all measures, and correlations between comparable subtests were positive and significant for all but three subtest pairs. The effect of administration order, as expected, added to the differences in favor of the WISC-R in half of the interscale comparisons. Two deviations from the expected pattern were significant. On Information, a practice effect attributed to items shared by both scales resulted in higher scores on the WPPSI-R (p < .01). On Arithmetic, a reversal of the expected order effect, tentatively linked to motivational factors, resulted in higher scores on whichever scale was administered first (p < .01). More studies that compare the two scales, especially with children of varied socioeconomic and ability levels, are suggested.