Stability of WISC Scores of Children Hospitalized for Emotional Disturbance

Abstract

Test-retest data on the WISC were obtained for 25 children who had been hospitalized with emotional disturbances. An analysis of the reliability coefficients and difference between means showed stability on verbal subtests is as high or higher than reliabilities reported for non-disturbed children using test-retest methods. One exception is the Comprehension subtest on which emotionally disturbed youngsters show considerably less stability than non-disturbed children. Stability on performance subtests is considerably lower for emotionally disturbed children than for non-disturbed in test-retest studies with the exception of Picture Arrangement which is more reliable than the test-retest data for normals. Performance and Full Scale IQ increase significantly on retesting.

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