Anyone from Texas Know what WISK testing is?

The test comprises ten core subtests and five supplemental ones. The supplemental subtests are used to accommodate children in certain rare cases, or to make up for spoiled results which may occur from interruptions or other circumstances. Testers are allowed no more than two substitutions in any FSIQ test, or no more than one per index. These subtests then generate a Full Scale IQ score (FSIQ,) and four composite scores known as indices: Verbal Comprehension (VCI,) Perceptual Reasoning (PRI,) Processing Speed (PSI) and Working Memory (WMI.)

The WISC is one of a family of Weschler intelligence scales. Subjects over 15 are tested with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), and children ages three to seven years, three months are tested with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI).

Each of the ten core subtests is given equal weighting towards full-scale IQ. There are three subtests for both VCI and PRI, thus they are given 30% weighting each; in addition, PSI and WMI are given 20% weighting for their two subtests each.

The VCI's subtests are as follows:

Vocabulary - straightforward questions over the meaning of words

Similarities - asking how two concepts are alike

Comprehension - questions about social situations or common concepts

Information (supplemental) - general knowledge questions

Word Reasoning (supplemental) - children are presented with one to three riddle-style clues and asked to determine what the tester is describing.

The PRI's subtests are as follows:

Block Design - children put together red-and-white blocks in a pattern according to a displayed model. This is timed, and some of the more difficult puzzles award bonuses for speed.

Picture Concepts - children are shown rows of pictures, and are asked to find a common bond with one picture in each row.

Matrix Reasoning - children are shown an array of pictures with one missing square, and select the picture that fits the array from five options.

Picture Completion (supplemental) - children are shown artwork of common objects with a missing part, and asked to identify the missing part by pointing and/or naming.

The WMI's subtests are as follows:

Digit Span - children are orally given sequences of numbers and asked to repeat them, either as heard or in reverse order.

Letter-Number Sequencing - children are orally given sequences of letters and numbers together, and asked to repeat them in both numerical order and alphabetical order.

Arithmetic (supplemental) - orally administered arithmetic questions. Timed.

The PSI's subtests are as follows:

Coding - children under 8 mark rows of shapes with different lines according to a code, children over 8 transcribe a digit-symbol code. Time-limited with bonuses for speed.

Symbol Search - children are given rows of symbols and target symbols, and asked to mark whether or not the target symbols appear in each row.

Cancellation (supplemental) - students are to mark lines through objects that do not belong in a page of randomly-arranged objects and one of orthogonally-arranged objects.

Uses

The WISC is used not only as an intelligence test, but as a clinical tool. Many practitioners use it to diagnose attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities, for example. This is usually done through a process called pattern analysis, in which the various subtests' scores are compared to one another (ipsative scoring) and clusters of unusually low scores in relation to the others are searched for. David Wechsler himself suggested this in 1958 (Kaplan & Saccuzzo, 2005).

However, the research does not show this to be a very effective way to diagnosis ADHD or learning disabilities (Watkins, Kush, & Glutting, 1997). The vast majority of ADHD children do not display certain subscores substantially below others, and many children who display such patterns do not have ADHD. Other patterns for children with learning disabilities show a similar lack of usefulness of the WISC as a diagnostic tool (Ward, Ward, Hatt, Young, & Moller, 1995).

When diagnosing children, best practice suggests that a multi-test battery should be used as learning problems, attention, and emotional difficulties can have similar symptoms, co-occur, or influence each other. For example, children with learning difficulties can become emotionally distraught and thus have concentration difficulties, begin to exhibit behavior problems, or both. Children with ADD or ADHD may show learning difficulties because of their attentional problems or also have learning disorder or mental retardation (or have nothing else). In short, while diagnosis of any childhood or adult difficulty should never be made based on IQ alone (or interview, physician examination, parent report, other test etc. for that matter) the cognitive ability test can help rule out, in conjunction with other tests and sources of information, other explanations for problems, uncover co-morbid problems, and be a rich source of information when properly analyzed and care is taken to avoid relying simply on the single summary IQ score (Sattler, ?year).

The empirical consensus is that the WISC is best used as a tool to evaluate intelligence and not to diagnose ADHD or learning disabled children. However, many clinicians use it to compare a child's cognitive development to his or her actual school or social performance. Using this discrepancy and other sources of data, the WISC can contribute information concerning a child's psychological well-being.

where i came from in texas (el paso area) it IS common practice to drug test the mother at the first visit, and then after if there is suspected drug use. being honest with your doctor will eliminate your worry of being "found out", plus it gives an idea to the dr of what kinds of things to look for in your baby. most doctors aren't going to be judgemental of you for being honest, however, many consider witholding important info about your medical history as being noncompliant or dishonest. just be honest and your doctor should be frank and honest back...its not like you are going to continue to use the drug anymore anyways. also, i would think that if you truly quit smoking already, and aren't around anyone, including your husband, who is actively smoking marijuana, you probably wouldn't have any residue in your body to test positive with. they would have to do a hair sample drug test and i know for sure most doctors don't order these...they do go back at least 1-2 months time but are very time consuming and expensive. good luck to you, and remember, just be honest. :) it will all be ok and work out for you.