WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children)

What is the WISC?

The WISC (currently in its fifth edition, WISC-V) is the gold standard for assessing intelligence in children. Developed by David Wechsler, it is the direct counterpart to the adult WAIS.

Who Uses It?

• Gifted Programs: Most schools require a WISC score (often above 130) for admission into gifted and talented programs.
• Diagnosing Disabilities: It is also the primary tool used to diagnose learning disabilities. Large discrepancies between indices (e.g., high Verbal Comprehension but low Processing Speed) can point to issues like ADHD or Dyslexia.

Structure

Like the adult version, the WISC-V gives a Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) derived from five primary index scores:

1. Verbal Comprehension
2. Visual Spatial
3. Fluid Reasoning
4. Working Memory
5. Processing Speed

Why not just use the WAIS?

Children’s brains develop at different rates. The WISC is norm-referenced specifically against other children of the exact same age (in 3-month bands). This ensures a 7-year-old is only compared to other 7-year-olds, not to 10-year-olds or adults.