Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children KABCII

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Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II)

• Ashley McElheney
• Jessica Smith
• May 9, 2005

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Overview

• KABC-II is an individually administered measure
  of cognitive ability (published in 2004)
• Can contribute to psychological, clinical,
  psychoeducational, and neuropsychological
  evaluations at all levels between preschool and
  high school
• Designed for ages 3-18
• 18 subtests, about 12 core subtests (depends on
  model used and age of examinee)
• Administration time
• Core battery-Luria model 25-55 minutes
• Core battery-CHC model 35-70 minutes
• Based on dual theoretical foundation Luria
  neuropsychological model and Cattell/Horn/Carroll
  (CHC) approach

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Two Theoretical Models (from Kevin S. McGrew)

• CHC is primarily a structural descriptive theory
  to which empirical predictive methods (multiple
  regression) can be readily applied Gf, Gc, Glr,
  Gsm, Gv, Ga, Gs? cognitive/academic performance
• Cognitive performance model (CPM) and
  Information Processing Model (IPM) are
  explanatory models grounded in information
  processing theory/research Acquired Knowledge,
  Thinking Ability, Cognitive Efficiency,
  Facilitator-Inhibitors? cognitive/academic
  performance

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Use of KABC-II and the two models(from KABC-II
Manual)

• When interpreted from the perspective of the
  Luria model, the KABC-II focuses on mental
  processing, deemphasizes acquired knowledge, and
  yields a global score called the Mental
  Processing Index (MPI).
• From the viewpoint of the CHC model, the KABC-II
  includes all the scales in the Luria system, but
  they are interpreted differentlyThe CHC model,
  as represented in the KABC-II, includes one
  additional scale that is not in the Luria model,
  the Knowledge/Gc scale. The global score yielded
  by administering all scales in the CHC model is
  labeled the Fluid-Crystallized Index (FCI).
• The examiner must select either the Luria or the
  CHC model before testing the child or
  adolescent.
• How do you choose?

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What AGS Publishing Says(from http//www.agsnetc.
com)

• A culturally fair ability test for all the
  children you serve.
• Fun to take, easy to administer.
• Can test bilingual (Spanish English) examinees
  (both languages given for responses on
  Knowledge/Crystallized Ability subtest, but all
  directions in English
• Minimized verbal instructions and responses
• Items contain little cultural content
• Luria model excludes verbal ability
• Nonverbal administration option
• Small score differences between ethnic groups

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Standardization Information

• Took place Sept. 2001 to Jan. 2003
• 3,025 examinees aged 2-18 tested at 127 sites in
  39 states and D.C. (Figure 7.1 on pg. 76 shoes
  numbers by state) matched to March 2001 Current
  Population Survey (http//www.bls.census.gov/cps/)
  on sex, ethnic group, parental education,
  geographic region, and special-education or
  gifted placement
• Approximately 125-200 students for every age
  group (by year)

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Technical Information

• Average reliabilities for the scale indexes are
  around .90
• Retest reliabilities average range from .80 to
  .90
• Score differences girls (3-6) perform slightly
  higher than boys after age 7, males and females
  perform with little differences for school-age
  children, parental level of education is
  important predictor of performance (SES?) Ethnic
  groups very small differences, African Americans
  average scores 95-99, American Indian average
  scores 96-100, Asian American average score
  100, Hispanic average 97-98, white average
  101-102

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Clinical Validity Studies

• Given to 141 students with learning disabilities
  in reading
• Given to 96 students with learning disabilities
  in math
• Given to 122 students with learning disabilities
  in written expression
• Given to 42 students with mild mental retardation
• Given to 38 students with Autistic Disorder
• Given to 56 students with Attending-Deficit/Hypera
  ctivity Disorder
• Given to 37 students with emotional disturbance
• Given to 95 gifted students
• Given to 28 students with hearing loss
• See page 126-131 for more information on
  interpretation of these scores

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Administration and Scoring of Subtests
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Core Subtests By Age

• Age 3
• Atlantis
• Conceptual Thinking
• Face Recognition
• Expressive Vocabulary
• Triangles
• Word Order
• Riddles
• Age 4
• All subtests for Age 3 Plus
• Number Recall
• Rebus

• Ages 13-18
• Atlantis
• Story Completion
• Number Recall
• Rover
• Atlantis Delayed
• Verbal Knowledge
• Rebus
• Block Counting
• Word Order
• Pattern Reasoning
• Gestalt Closure
• Rebus Delayed
• Riddles

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Core Subtests By Age Cont.

• Ages 7-12
• Atlantis
• Story Completion
• Number Recall
• Rover
• Atlantis Delayed
• Verbal Knowledge
• Rebus
• Triangles
• Word Order
• Pattern Reasoning
• Rebus Delayed
• Riddles

• Ages 13-18
• Atlantis
• Story Completion
• Number Recall
• Rover
• Atlantis Delayed
• Verbal Knowledge
• Rebus
• Block Counting
• Word Order
• Pattern Reasoning
• Gestalt Closure
• Rebus Delayed
• Riddles

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Atlantis

• Core subtest for all ages
• Measures ability to learn new information
• Association between pictures and nonsense names
• Examinee is taught names of pictures of imaginary
  fish, plants, and shells
• Examiner says name and examinee points to picture
• Starting Point All Ages begin with item 1
• Give corrective feedback on items 1-48
• Items 1-3 teaching items
• Discontinue Rule Based on Stopping Points. If
  examinees total raw score is below specified
  value, discontinue testing
• Scoring 2 Points Correct Response, 1 Point
  incorrect response in same category, 0 Points
  incorrect response in different category

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Conceptual Thinking

• Core subtest for ages 3.0-6.11
• Measures nonverbal reasoning skills
• Child looks at pictures and determines the one
  that does not belong
• Starting Points
• Age 3-5 Sample, item 1
• Ages 6 Sample, item 6
• Teaching items Sample, item 1, and item 2
• Basal Drop back one start point if examinee
  receives a score of 0 on any of the first three
  items administered
• Discontinue Rule 4 scores of 0 on 5 consecutive
  items
• Scoring Score 1 or 0

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Face Recognition

• Core subtest for ages 3.0-4.11
• Measures short-term visual memory and visual
  processing
• Examiner shows examinee picture of face and
  examinee must pick face from group of faces
• Starting Points All ages begin with sample and
  item 1
• Teaching items Sample item, item 1, item 2
• Discontinue Rule 4 consecutive scores of 0
• Scoring Score 1 or 0

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Story Completion

• Core subtest for ages 7.0-18.11
• Nonverbal measure of planning or reasoning skills
• Examinee shown incomplete series of pictures and
  examinee has to choose picture cards to complete
  the story
• Items needed Stopwatch, story completion
  stimulus book, story completion cards
• Starting Points
• Ages 6-8 Sample, item 1
• Ages 9-13 Sample, item 4
• Ages 14-18 Sample, item 8
• Teaching items Sample, items 1 and 2
• Basal Rule Drop back one starting point if
  examinee receives 0 on any of first 3 items
• Discontinue Rule 3 consecutive scores of 0
• Scoring 0, 1, 2 (See Easel 1 for scoring for
  specific items)

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Number Recall

• Core subtest for ages 4.0-18.11
• Measures sequential processing and short-term
  memory
• Examiner says a series of numbers and examiner
  repeats them
• Starting Points
• Ages 3-6 Sample, item 1
• Ages 7-18 Sample, item 4
• Teaching Items Sample, items 1 and 2
• Basal Rule Drop back one starting point if
  examinee receives 0 on any of first 3 items
• Discontinue Rule 3 consecutive scores of 0
• Scoring 1, 0

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Gestalt Closure

• Measure of visual processing
• Examinee looks at incomplete inkblot drawing
  and identifies picture
• Starting Points
• Ages 3-5 Sample, item 1
• Ages 6-7 Sample, item 5
• Ages 8-10 Sample, item 9
• Ages 11-18 Sample, item 14
• Teaching Items Sample, items 1 and 2
• Basal Rule Drop back one starting point if
  examinee scores 0 on any of first 3 items
• Discontinue Rule 4 consecutive scores of 0
• Scoring 1,0
• Some items require queries
• Give credit if response indicates correct
  recognition of object
• Give credit if examinee points to object in room
  that is same as correct response
• Correct responses in Spanish are provided on
  easel

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Rover

• Core subtest for ages 6.0-18.11
• Measures visual processing
• Examinee moves Rover to his bone in the least
  amount of moves
• Items Needed Rover Stimulus Book, Rover,
  stopwatch
• Starting Points
• All ages begin with Sample A and item 1
• Teaching Items Sample items, B, Items 1, 2
• Discontinue Rule 5 consecutive scores less than
  2
• Scoring
• Based on the path child took for all items except
  4 and 5
• Items 4-5 Must orally count moves
• Score 0, 1, 2

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Atlantis Delayed

• Measures long-term memory and retrieval
• Examinee points to pictures learned approximately
  20 minutes earlier
• Starting Points All ages begin with item 1
• Discontinue Rule Determined by last item
  administered on Atlantis or after 4 consecutive
  scores less than 2
• Scoring
• 2 points correct response
• 1 point incorrect response in same category
• 0 points incorrect response in different
  category

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Expressive Vocabulary

• Core subtest for CHC Model ages 3.0-6.11
• Measures knowledge or crystallized ability
• Examinee names objects
• Starting Point
• Ages 3-4 item 1
• Age 5 item 7
• Ages 6-11 item 11
• Ages 12-18 item 18
• Basal Rule Drop back one starting 1 if examinee
  scores 0 on any of first 3 items given
• Discontinue Rule 4 consecutive scores of 0
• Scoring 1, 0
• Queried responses, Spanish responses presented on
  easel

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Verbal Knowledge

• Core subtest for CHC model ages 7.0-18.11
• Measures vocabulary and general information
• Examiner says vocabulary word and examinee points
  to picture that corresponds with word
• Starting Points
• Ages 3-6 Item 1
• Age 7 Item 11
• Ages 8-10 Item 21
• Ages 11-13 Item 28
• Ages 14-18 Item 34
• Basal Rule Drop back 1 starting point if
  examinee scores of 0 on any of first 3 items
• Discontinue Rule 5 scores of 0 in 6 consecutive
  items
• Scoring 1, 0 answer key on record form

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Rebus

• Core subtest for CHC model ages 4.0-18.11
• Measures ability to learn new information
• Examiner teaches examinee figures that stand for
  words (rebuses) examiner reads figures to
  create meaningful phrases
• Starting Point All ages begin with item 1
• Discontinue Rule Based on stopping points
• Teaching Items Item 1
• Scoring Mark rebuses on record form (C, IC,
  skipped) keep total of cumulative item scores

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Triangles

• Core subtest for ages 3.0-12.11
• Measures visual ability and spatial relationships
• Examinee arranges shapes to match a model or
  picture
• Items needed 16 plastic shapes, 9 foam
  triangles, Stopwatch
• Starting Points
• Ages 3-5 Sample A, Item 1
• Ages 6-7 Sample A, Item 5
• Ages 8-9 Sample B, Item 11
• Ages 10-18 Sample B, Item 15
• Basal Rule Drop back one starting point if
  score of 0 on any of first 3 items administered
• Discontinue Rule 3 consecutive scores of 0
• Teaching Items Sample A, Items 1,2,5 Sample B,
  Items 11-12
• Scoring
• Items 1-10 Specific scoring criteria printed on
  record form
• Items 11-27 General scoring criteria no
  penalty for rotation
• Score 1, 0

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Block Counting

• Core subtest for ages 13.0-18.11
• Measures visualization of objects in 3 dimensions
• Examinee says how many blocks are present in a
  picture
• Items needed 4 yellow cubes, stopwatch
• Starting Points
• Ages 5-10 Samples A and B, Item 1
• Ages 11-18 Samples A and B, Item 7
• Teaching Items Sample items A and B, Items 1
  and 2
• Basal Rule Drop back one starting point if
  examinee scores 0 on any of first 3 items
  administered
• Discontinue Rule 4 consecutive scores of 0
• Scoring
• Items 1-16 1 point for each correct response
• Items 27-35 2 points for each correct response
  1 point for 1 block of correct response

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Word Order

• Core subtest for ages 3.0-18.11
• Measures sequential processing and short-term
  memory
• Examiner says series of words and examinee points
  to pictures of those words in same sequence
• Items Needed
• Word Order Object Card
• White Covering Card
• Stopwatch
• Starting Points
• Ages 3-5 Item 1
• Ages 6-7 Sample A, Item 4
• Ages 8-18 Sample A, Item 7
• Basal Rule
• Starting with item 4 If score of 0 on Items 4
  and 5, administer items 1-3 and then stop
• Starting with item 7 If score of 0 on Item 7,
  8, 9, drop back to item 4
• Discontinue Rule 3 consecutive scores of 0
• Teaching Items Samples A and B, Items 1, 2, 4,
  5
• Scoring
• Teaching Items 2 points correct response on
  first trial 1 point correct response on second
  trial
• Score 1, 0 0 if examinee responds orally rather
  than pointing

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Pattern Reasoning

• Core subtest for ages 5.0-18.11
• Nonverbal test measures reasoning skills and
  hypothesis testing
• Examinee presented with set of images and must
  select an image that completes the pattern
• Record response time
• Starting Points
• Ages 5-8 Sample, Item 1
• Ages 9-18 Sample, Item 6
• Basal Rule Drop back one starting point if
  score of 0 on any of first 3 items
• Discontinue Rule 4 scores of 0 in 5 consecutive
  items
• Teaching Items Sample item, items 1 and 2
• Scoring
• Ages 5-6 1 point for each correct answer
• Ages 7-18
• Items 1-9, 1 point for each correct answer
• Items 10-36, 1, 2 points depending on response
  time

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Hand Movements

• Measures sequential processing and short-term
  memory
• Examiner makes series of hand movements and
  examinee imitates them in same sequence
• Starting Point All ages begin with Sample, Item
  1
• Discontinue Rule 3 consecutive scores of 0
• Teaching Items Sample Item
• Scoring 1, 0

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Rebus Delayed

• Measures long-term memory and retrieval
• Administered approximately 20 minutes after Rebus
  subtest Child asked to read rows of rebuses
• Starting Point All ages begin with item 1
• Discontinue Rule Determined by last item
  administered on Rebus subtest or 4 consecutive
  item scores less than 2

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Riddles

• Core subtest for CHC model ages 3.0-18.11
• Measures verbal comprehension, verbal reasoning,
  word retrieval
• Examiner reads riddle and examinee answers the
  riddle by pointing to a picture or saying the
  missing word
• Starting Points
• Ages 3-6 Item 1
• Ages 7-8 Item 9
• Ages 9-10 Item 12
• Ages 11-13 Item 16
• Ages 14-15 Item 21
• Ages 16-18 Item 26
• Basal Rule Drop back one start point if score
  of 0 on any of first 3 items given
• Discontinue Rule 4 consecutive scores of 0
• Teaching Items Items 1, 2
• Scoring 1,0

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Scoring the KABC-II

• Scoring software (ASSIST) is available
• Obtain raw score for each subtest (generally the
  sum of item scores OR subtracting the number of
  errors from the number of the highest item
  attempted, ceiling)
• Transfer raw scores to front or back cover,
  depending on age, then convert to scaled scores
  (Table D.1)

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Scoring the KABC-II (cont.)

• Transfer scaled scores to the section of the
  cover labeled Calculation of Scale Indexes
• Write the sum of the scaled scores in the
  designated oval
• Convert sum of scaled scores for the scales and
  the global scale to standard scores (Table D.2)
  can also obtain confidence interval and
  percentile rank

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Interpretation

• First step, interpret global scores (MPI for
  Luria model and FCI for CHC model)
• Then, look at profile of scores
• Then, go to Chapter 5 of the manual
• In Ch. 5, there is a brief description of each
  subtest as well as some interpretive information
  based on the model used (CHC or Luria)

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Evaluation of the KABC-II

• A lot of stimulus material (this can be both
  great to keep kids attention, but test kit is
  very heavy and can be difficult to use!)
• Offering two models makes the test more
  versatile, but could also make it confusing
• Like the idea of not having to take into account
  crystallized ability to test some students
• Attempts to teach the tasks so that examinees do
  not lose points simply from not understanding the
  task itself
• Includes measures of cognitive processing
• Standard procedure for error analysis not
  available

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Evaluation cont.

• Subtests similar to those on the Wechsler scales
  and the WJ-III Cog.
• Like the idea of CORE subtests being administered
  by age
• Stimulus materials colorful and engaging
• Some of the subtests have correct responses
  written in Spanish, but recommended that only
  nonverbal tests be used with ESL students
• Basal and Discontinue rules sometimes confusing
• Scoring criteria for some subtests hard to follow