Some New Zealand based norms for the Peabody picture Vocabulary Test-(Revised) on a preschool population

Abstract

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) is an American test of hearing vocabulary which is widely used in New Zealand, and of particular value to clinicians working with younger children. The present study concerns the development of New Zealand based norms for the preschool age group aged 3 years 0 months to 4 years 11 months. The PPVT-R was administered to 200 children selected from the birth notification records for the Nelson region. Mean raw scores and mean standard scores were calculated and compared with the U.S. normative sample results for the same age groups. Results indicated that the Nelson sample obtained higher norms than the U.S. sample, significantly so for one age group (4 years 0 months - 4 years 5 months). No significant differences were demonstrated between male and female subjects in the Nelson sample or between males and females in the Nelson sample compared to the U.S. sample. The results are discussed and compared with other research using the PPVT-R on a school age population in Nelson and the limitations of sampling on one area. Both standard score norms and a limited table of percentiles from this research are presented.