VIQ-PIQ Discrepancies are unrelated to mental health indicators in a child psychiatric sample

In a sample of children aged 8-16 years (N = 151) in a child psychiatric setting, the relationship between VIQ-PIQ discrepancies and both Quality of Life (QoL) and psychosocial problems was explored. It was hypothesized that compared to children without a VIQ-PIQ discrepancy children with a discrepancy would have lower QoL and show more psychosocial problems. Using the WISC-III to measure IQ discrepancies, QoL and the severity of psychosocial problems (measured with the Child Behavior Checklist) were found not to differ between the two groups of children. Neither were there any significant correlations between VIQ-PIQ discrepancies and these mental health indicators. Moreover, the proportion of children showing a VIQ-PIQ discrepancy was found not to deviate from the value in the normal population. The conclusion is that in children with psychiatric problems, VIQ-PIQ differences and core mental health indicators are unrelated and that therefore in diagnostic practice psychologists should be hesitant in assuming such a relationship