Predictive validity of the WPPSI-R: A four year follow-up study

Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R) scores obtained prior to enrollment in kindergarten are used to predict academic achievement scores on the Comprehensive Testing Program III at the end of grades 1, 2, and 3. Correlations between achievement and Verbal IQ are significant at all three grade levels, with measures of vocabulary, general knowledge, and verbal concept formation (Similarities) being the most consistent verbal predictors of academic achievement. Performance IQ is a poor predictor of academic achievement, with only 3 out of 16 correlations with achievement reaching significance. The Full Scale IQ's correlations with achievement appear to be due to the contributions of the verbal scale. Results are discussed in terms of their generalizability for this middle- and upper-middle-class sample engaged in a demanding academically-oriented curriculum.