Is an average age-equivalent comparison acceptable when comparing a 19 year-old to a 14 year-old or 22 year-old? The answer to the opening question is the basis of this article response paper. Emily Maloney and Linda Larrivee discuss age-equivalent (AE) scores within their article titled, “Limitation of Age-Equivalent Scores in Reporting the Results of Nor-Referenced Test.” Speech-language pathologists (SPLs) should not use AE scores based on the list of limitations found in the author’s findings. They demonstrate their finding based on a study using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III (Maloney & Larrivee, 2007).
The first limitation is what the AE score represents. To clarify this point, it is easier to discuss what the number does…
The age-representation of 14 years does not depict the exact performance a 14 year-old-client taking the same test. The 14 year-old client might do well at the beginning of the test and reach a ceiling early and the 19 year-old might answer more questions on the test, however, end with the same AE score resulting from multiple incorrect answers.
The AE scores can cause misconceptions and labeling of a client. In the results of the test described in the article, the 19 year-old’s results showed a normal range of 14-22 (Maloney & Larrivee, 2007). When describing AE scores to parents or other professionals not familiar with the AE scoring, they might conclude the client with the AE score of 14 is below average and the AE score of 22 is gifted. Conversely, this range is average for AE scores in this test.
Interpolation and extrapolation is the process used to derive AE scores. This is not an accurate representation of scores. It is an educated manipulation of numbers based on examinees and applied into a CA score graph. The scorers plot the AE scores into a graph developed by estimating information and not collecting data from those given the test. This leads to a further concern of scores not representing a standard to compare examinee’s results. The lack of a standardization does not give equal intervals to compare progress or a mean between…
