About the WPPSI-IV (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - Fourth Edition)
WPPSI-IV (2012) is the current Wechsler intelligence scale for preschoolers and primary-age children. It has two age bands (2:6-3:11 and 4:0-7:7) with different subtests appropriate to each developmental stage. The younger band has 7 subtests; the older band has 15.
WPPSI-IV yields Primary Index scores (Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, Processing Speed) and a Full Scale IQ. The structure mirrors WISC-V but uses age-appropriate stimuli, shorter testing sessions (30-60 minutes), and concrete materials suited to young children's attention spans.
WPPSI-IV is the standard for assessing early intellectual development in clinical and educational settings. Common uses: identifying intellectual disability before kindergarten, early gifted screening, and assessing preschoolers for early intervention services. Pearson markets a Spanish-language adaptation (WPPSI-IV Spanish).
The 5 subtests
What the test looks like
WPPSI-IV is examiner-administered one-on-one with a young child. The examiner uses a stimulus book with pictures, blocks, puzzle pieces, and other physical materials. The child responds verbally, by pointing, or by manipulating objects. Items are presented in increasing difficulty until the child reaches a "discontinue rule" (e.g., 3 wrong answers in a row).
Verbal subtests use spoken questions and verbal answers. Information items ask the child to define common objects or answer general-knowledge questions (e.g., naming colors, body parts, common categories). Similarities asks how two things are alike. Vocabulary asks the child to define progressively rarer words.
Nonverbal subtests use physical materials. Block Design has the child arrange colored blocks to match a model. Picture Memory shows pictures briefly then asks the child to find them among distractors. Matrix Reasoning shows a pattern of pictures with one missing and asks the child to pick the completion from 4-5 options.
Specific item content is a Pearson trade secret. To see actual WPPSI-IV items, a licensed psychologist must purchase the test kit (~$1,200) from Pearson Assessments. Sample reports are available on Pearson's website but do not include actual items.
Source
All test materials and historical content on this page are transcribed from:
Wechsler, D. (2012). WPPSI-IV Technical and Interpretive Manual. NCS Pearson.
WPPSI-IV is the current preschool Wechsler test. Pearson holds active copyright.
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