Multiple sources of test bias on the WISC-R and Bender-Gestalt Test.

Test bias on the WISC-R and Bender-Gestalt Test was assessed through multiple statistical procedures: internal consistency, item difficulty, correlations of item–total correlations, concurrent validity, and construct validity. These procedures were applied to WISC-R and Bender data of 436 7–14 yr olds from 3 racial–ethnic groups (Anglo-American, Black, and Mexican American) and 2 social classes (low and middle). The statistical procedures investigated bias as a function of children's sex, race, socioeconomic status, age, birth order, health, family size, family structure, and urban acculturation. On the Bender, evidence of bias was infrequent and irregular. On the WISC-R, group differences were most discernible for age (as expected), sex, family structure, and race. Although these differences are noteworthy, consistent patterns of bias were not apparent among the 9 comparison groups. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)