I need to evaluate a considerable sample of preschool and first grade children for an experimental study, but I don't have the time for extense individualized assessments.
Does anyone have cognitive screening tests for young children?
What do you suggest?
Dear Carla.
I think you can use the following scale: Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, known as WPPSI. However, as far as I think. you have to get the scale and permission to use it. Give a look at the NET and see what they say.
Best regards.
As you have to test a considerable number of children it would be better if you go for a test that can be administered in group (like Raven's color progressive matrices). If you want to administered test individually then you can consider opting Stanford- Binet Intelligence test (5th Ed.) or Bhatia's short battery of performance Intelligence (consists of Koh's block design and Pass-a-long test).
The Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 could be an interesting option, it is a parent report. Another option could be the Naglieri Nonverbal tests (NNAT) that can be administered in groups.
Depending if you have the qualifications for the tests, the KBIT could be useful, or the Ravens. The WPPSI-V is a full cognitive assessment which takes 60+ min to individually administer (similar to the WISC-V).
I've heard that the KBIT overscores by about 10 points on children who are subsequently tested on the WPPSI/WISC.
Think about what exactly you are trying to measure. Maybe there is another way?
Dear Carla!
I am more than happy to know that your question has given rise to many and, I think, good answers. Now you have a bunch of tools. It will be up to decide which one you are going to employ. It is a pity that you have a considerable sample of preschool and first grade children for your experimental study, and you do not have time enough for extensive individualized assessments. If this were not the case, you could appeal to Piagetian tasks. Contrary to all tools mentioned before, even that one I mentioned, Piagetian tasks ask children to justify their answers which is a big difference. Suffice it to say that in mental tests, you can get "correct" answers based on poor or even bad reasoning. Think, for instance, of a Piagetian class-inclusion task: " On this table we have 10 flowers, 8 being roses and 2 daffodils. Are there more flowers or daffodils?" As you know, children under 6/7 years tend to say that there are more flowers than daffodils, which is a "correct" answer in psychometric terms. However, when these children are asked to justify their answers it is often the case that they say that there are more flowers than daffodils because there are many roses and only 2 daffodils. This is a telling example of a "correct" answer based on wrong and, say, poor reasoning. Have you not colleagues or students acquainted with Piaget's theory who could help you to employ Piagetian developmental tasks instead of psychometric tests? If this were the case, you could employ Piagetian tasks and, who knows, have a smaller sample than that you refer to in your question. May be you can conceive of employing developmental tasks instead of psychometric tests. I end this my answer with an astute remark Wittgenstein makes about psychology in his famous Philosophical Investigations: In psychology there are experimental methods but conceptual confusion. You certainly agree on the idea that an experiment carried out in an atmosphere of conceptual confusion rarely clarifies anything. Carla, takes this answer as an answer that intends to point to a additional tool you might use in your study.
Bonne chance for your study.
Best wishes