What is the evaluation IQ test like?

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I finally got the next appointment for the full evaluation scheduled, I was waiting on the insurance to approve it. It is in December. I was only told that I would be taking an IQ test, and a week later I will do another kind of test or evaluation (they haven't told me what it is, so I really have no idea what to expect).

Is there a standard IQ test for these evaluations or does it depend on the psychologist? And also, what exactly is the purpose of it as far as the evaluation goes? Do they look for specific strengths and weakness in areas, or is it just to get a general idea of my intelligence?

Also, does anyone have an idea what I might be doing during that day a week later? They didn't actually say that it was a test, they just said that there were 2 evaluation days (I don't know the length of the appointments) and then another one 2 weeks later (at the soonest) to discuss the results.

They just didn't give me much information, and I don't think I can just call and ask the receptionist these questions. I don't even know who the psychologist I will be seeing is, because the one I saw originally moved. They said they were sending me some paperwork. Maybe that will have information? I just have no idea and it's irritating me

Edit: I changed the subject line to be a question

Last edited by L_Holmes on 10 Oct 2014, 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

You'll probably be taking the WAIS-IV test. As far as the week after, it could be just an in-depth history session?

That's a good guess, I bet that will at least be part of it. How long does that IQ test take, or does it vary greatly from person to person?

I hope it goes well for you.

Thank you.

the one i took was fine, just a lot of different questions you would get on a test at school, but theres also some pattern recognition tests and some tests with blocks, IDK if you would get the same one as me but thats the one i got.

Exactly how accurate is the WAIS-IV test? I took the test over the summer and it came back as "Low Average" despite the fact I feel I am not of a lower average intellect. Math was a big deal since I missed so much when I was in school due to inept teachers I can care for my self manage my own finances cook clean drive and am knowledgeable not only with computers but in other areas as well. They administered something called the seashell sound test which was taken from a very scratchy LP and at the time I didn't have glasses so I was unable to make out some of the questions while I was reading thus having to read longer and slower. Advice please?

The WAIS-IV is the standard IQ test used for adults age 17 and up. It breaks down scores into verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory and processing speed, and extrapolates your full scale IQ (FSIQ) from those four scores. Verbal IQ is one's ability to use and understand language, both concrete and abstract, and it is tested using "similarities" ie questions like, "how are "fence" and "anchor" similar?" as well as an oral vocabulary test, and a test of general knowledge, involving questions about general aspects of the world such as "Who wrote Sherlock Holmes?" and "How long does it take for light to travel from the sun to the earth?"

Perceptual reasoning, also called nonverbal IQ, is one's ability to recognise and extrapolate patterns and sequences, and its testing using such tasks as the block design, in which you are given four to nine cubes and a picture, and must use the cubes to recreate the picture as quickly and accurately as possible. Matrix reasoning and visual puzzles are two other tests they use. I don't remember the specifics of the matrix reasoning, but with the visual puzzles, you're given a picture, then six pictures of shapes, and you must choose the three shapes that when put together would create the larger image.

Working memory is the equivalent of short-term memory, and is tested using digit-span, in which the examiner reads an increasingly long list of numbers, and you must repeat them for as many as you can remember; a second subtest requires that you repeat the numbers in reverse order from the way you heard them.

The processing speed index examine's one's ability to scan and discriminate between simple visual information as quickly as possible. They have lines of symbols paired with a target symbol, and you must work as quickly as you can to determine whether the target symbol is in the line of symbols you're looking at. There are several pages of these, and you must complete as many as you can in a specific time period (I forget exactly how long.)

The reliability of the WAIS-IV as a measurement tool is very high, with test-retest reliability (the probability that a person will get the same results when tested multiple times) is between 0.7 out of 1.0 and 0.9 out of 1.0. Inter-rater reliability (meaning the consistency of the scores obtained when multiple doctors use the same test on the same individual at different times) was also very high, at 0.9 out of 1.0.

From my understanding, it is not an accurate representation of how intelligent one is, especially when that individual is autistic. What it does do well is outline areas or strengths and struggling points. Personally, I know that my IQ score is nowhere near an accurate representation as it puts me in low average as well. I was in gifted as a child and everything. The reason why mine ends up being so low is that I have great difficulty with anything that tests "abstract _____". Plus my performance IQ is quite low in comparison to my verbal IQ. I would say not to worry too much about it, because the test should only be used as a tool and not as a true measure of overall intelligence.

Yea but here's the thing all of those findings were then forwarded to voc-rehab and because of the "low average" IQ they will say "this is what we have that is best suited for your needs" and I'm willing to bet it will be a job stuffing envelops working fast food assembly or retail. Rather then what I want to get into (broadcasting and/or an office environment) I have previous office exp and did extremely well archiving data into a company server. I guess in short I'd hate to think I'm getting my hopes up and in reality they will shoot low because of what it says on a piece of paper. Here's another thing this doctor didn't know too much about Autism he had to dig out a dusty DSM-V book and go through the list of symptoms with me and on the report he posted:

Autistic spectrum disorder level I (in partial remission) requiring support. I didn't think Autism could go into remission.
ADAD combined presentation (in partial remission) without current current hyperactivity. I haven't had an issue with ADD since I was a child.
Specific Learning Disorder, with impairment in mathematics, Moderate. This one I agree with 100 % however in the detailed report he stated that there is little to no hope for future improvement(s) despite the fact now I am greatly improving on multiplication and I'm good on division

They didn't touch on the fact that I am borderline dyslexic and also have dysgraphia something that does need attention

I kinda feel that this is in a way a form of charter assassination.. I may request Voc-rehab to send me to do another re-test by another doctor and one whom specializes with those whom are on the Autism Spectrum.

Sorry to hijack the thread.

The IQ test was created by eugenicists; i.e., people who believed in the superiority of certain races (pretty much the white race).

I wouldn't take it too seriously.

Last edited by Coolguy on 13 Oct 2014, 11:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

There will be a bunch of math questions, you may be required to memorize long ass numbers or sequences of letters mixed with numbers (and you may be asked to sort the numbers and the letters) they may ask the meanings of words, you may be asked to complete sentences, you may be doing tower of hanoi, you may have to memorize a long ass list of words, you may be shown pictures that should tell a story and sort them to tell a sane story, you may be required to memorize a long ass word pair list and recall what two words were a pair, and you may have to do the wisconsin card sorting test (don't read what it is because if you know you will ruin the chance to get accurate results. really. just disregard this one.). you may also be presented with groups of like 7 words and you will have to choose which of them is actually not a real word.

the actual IQ number is bullcrap, don't pay attention to it at all. unless it's something ridiculously high like 150. then it may actually mean you are sort of smart.

What they wanna know is how strong your abilities are compared to each other. so if you have a logic like a genius but can't put the pictures with bits of story in the right order AT ALL then it somehow means something.

basically it totally doesn't matter how high or low your actuall IQ is, but whether you are too good or too bad at certain things if they are looking for AS. Otherwise IQ tests are absolutely useless and prone to all kind of inaccuracies. Like it was raining at the day I did it and it distracted me because I had free view to the window. And I could do the hardest math question but not the easy ones which coompletely doesn't make sense. (the first questions are always easy and it gets harder).