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indices-of-psychopathology

VAS

Vocabulary Assessment Scales–Expressive® and Vocabulary Assessment Scales–Receptive®

Rebecca Gerhardstein Nader, PhD

Purpose:
Measures vocabulary and oral language development and provides an alternative way to assess overall intellectual ability
Format:
Paper and pencil, Online scoring via PARiConnect
Age range:
2 years, 6 months to 95 years
Time:
15-20 minutes each
Qualification level:
S
S
A degree, certificate, or license to practice in a health care profession or occupation, including (but not limited to) the following: medicine, neurology, nursing, occupational therapy and other allied health care professions, physician's assistants, psychiatry, social work; plus appropriate training and experience in the ethical administration, scoring, and interpretation of clinical behavioral assessment instruments. Certain health care providers may be eligible to purchase selected "B" and "C" level instruments within their area of expertise. Specifically, relevant supervised clinical experience using tests (i.e., internship, residency, etc.) in combination with formal coursework ( i.e., Tests and Measurement, Individual Assessment, or equivalent) qualifies a health care provider to purchase certain restricted products. Any PAR Customer already qualified to purchase a "B" or "C" level product, is also qualified to purchase an "S" level product. If you are not already qualified to purchase a "B"or "C" level product from PAR, please download and complete the special Qualification Form for Medical and Allied Health Professionals. (You will need Adobe Acrobat to view.) Close

Now available! Our new In-Person e-Stimulus Books and Kits are convenient, more hygienic alternatives to paper administration that allow you to administer the VAS face-to-face via tablet. Be sure to download our new white paper prior to administering.

 

The VAS offers an alternative measure of overall intellectual ability for students who may have difficulty with traditional IQ tests. It is a picture vocabulary test that uses modern, engaging stimuli to measure expressive and receptive language throughout the age range.

Features and benefits

  • The only picture vocabulary test that provides both an expressive/receptive score and a composite score.
  • The only picture vocabulary test that provides reliable change scores.
  • Requires no reading or writing and minimal motor skills.
  • Features less complicated basal and ceiling rules than similar measures, so it's easier to administer and score.
  • The only picture vocabulary test that uses full-color digital photographs instead of outdated line drawings.

Test structure

  • The VAS-E presents a single picture along with a verbal prompt (e.g., “What is this?”). Examinees are required to verbally provide a single-word response.
  • The VAS-R presents a set of four picture stimuli and asks examinees to select the picture that best corresponds to the word spoken by the examiner.
  • Scoring is available 24/7 on PARiConnect, our online assessment platform.

Technical information

  • Large normative sample (N = 2,678) from 30 states is based on 2009 U.S. Census statistics.
  • Normative data is provided for 28 different age groups and for Grades K-12 (spring and fall).
  • Validity was measured in 13 groups (N = 544).