Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT)
The Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) is a prominent, individually administered assessment tool designed to evaluate the academic achievement of children and adolescents ranging from kindergarten to high school. Created in 1970 by Lloyd M. Dunn and Frederick C. Markwardt, it has been revised to accommodate more recent educational standards and norms, with the latest version allowing assessments for individuals up to age twenty-two. The PIAT measures competencies in several key areas, including general information, reading (both recognition and comprehension), mathematics, spelling, and, in later revisions, written expression.
The test is structured to provide various scores, including overall achievement levels and specific subtest scores, which can help educators identify individual strengths and weaknesses. Its administration typically occurs in a controlled environment by trained professionals, although formal training is not strictly required. While the PIAT offers valuable insights for educational planning and counseling, it also has limitations, such as its reliance on performance during a single testing session and its accessibility primarily to English and Spanish speakers. Overall, the PIAT serves as a crucial tool in educational assessment and research, though caution is advised in interpreting its results.
Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT)
- DATE: 1970 forward
- TYPE OF PSYCHOLOGY: Intelligence and intelligence testing
SIGNIFICANCE: The Peabody Individual Achievement Test is a widely used, individually administered achievement test for children and adolescents from kindergarten through high school. It provides overall age-equivalent and grade-equivalent scores and subtest scores. It is used in many educational and assessment settings.
Introduction
The Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) is a widely used, individually administered achievement test. Developed in 1970 by Lloyd M. Dunn and Frederick C. Markwardt, it was revised in 1989 by Markwardt. The original version, often called the PIAT, and the revision, often called the PIAT-R, are for children aged five through eighteen. In 1997, the test's normative scores were updated to reflect changes in the average level of performance, resulting in the PIAT-R/NU, which is for individuals aged five through twenty-two. The PIAT measures widely expected educational outcomes, not specific to any particular curriculum.
The PIAT measures achievement in five areas: general information, reading recognition, reading comprehension, mathematics, and spelling. The revision added one more areawritten expression. For the general information portion, the examiner reads questions aloud, and the test taker answers aloud. For reading recognition, the test taker reads aloud. For reading comprehension, the test taker reads a sentence silently and then chooses a picture that best illustrates the sentence. For mathematics, multiple-choice questions are presented on topics ranging from recognizing numbers to solving geometry and trigonometry problems. For spelling, the individual chooses the correct spelling of the word that the examiner speaks. Written expression depends on the individual's level; they either copy and write words or write a story in response to a picture.
The items are arranged in increasing order of difficulty. The examiner starts with some sample items and then obtains basal and ceiling levels. The basal level is the point where the test taker correctly answers five items in a row. The ceiling level is the point where the test taker misses five items out of seven. The number of items answered correctly between the basal and ceiling levels determines the score. The score is matched with scores of individuals of the same chronological age. The PIAT provides an overall score, percentile ranks, and age-equivalent, grade-equivalent, and standard scores for the overall score and for each portion.
An adult, who is typically an educator, psychologist, social worker, counselor, or someone with training in psychometrics or educational testing, administers the PIAT orally to one test taker at a time. No formal training is required, but the adult must be able to follow the instructions precisely. Typically, testing occurs in a private, quiet, well-lit room and takes one to two hours to complete. The items are not timed, except for written expression. Although it is typically given in one session, the child may take a break or come back for a second session if needed.
Uses and Limitations
PIAT scores are useful in assessing scholastic achievement and identifying individual strengths and weaknesses. This information might be useful in designing educational programs, providing guidance and counseling, making admissions and placement decisions, and grouping students. While it does not diagnose any condition, PIAT's identification of specific or overall academic weaknesses provides critical information for caregivers and educators to recommend evaluations for conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, cognitive impairment, or other conditions that limit academic success. Regarding research, the PIAT can be used to evaluate educational programs. Also, because the test assesses individuals from preschool to post-high school, the PIAT can be used in longitudinal studies on achievement and human development. It could also be used for basic research questions, such as showing how two achievement areas are related or determining the relationship between academic achievement and other traits. The PIAT is used in some states to verify the academic level of homeschooled children.
Like any test, the PIAT has limitations. One limitation is that the score reflects an individual’s performance on one specific test on one specific day. Test takers who are ill, distracted, or performing below their capacity for other reasons may receive deceivingly low scores. Using another test on another day to confirm results may be helpful in this case. Another potential limitation is that the PIAT is limited to English and Spanish speakers, which could be disadvantageous to test takers from other backgrounds. Also, the PIAT must be administered in a standardized way. An examiner who deviates from the instructions might quickly inflate or deflate the child’s score.
Bibliography
Costenbader, Virginia K., and John W. Adams. “A Review of the Psychometric and Administrative Features of the PIAT-R: Implications for the Practitioner.” Journal of School Psychology, vol. 29, Fall 1991, pp. 219–28. www.johngottman.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Parental-meta-emotion-philosophy-and-the-emotional-life-of-families-Theoretical-models-and-preliminary-data.pdf. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.
Flanagan, Dawn P., and Erin M. McDonough. Contemporary Intellectual Assessment: Theories, Tests, and Issues. Revised and expanded 4th ed. The Guilford Press, 2023.
Grimley, Liam K. “Academic Assessment of ADHD Children.” Handbook of Hyperactivity in Children. Johnny L. Matson, ed. Allyn, 1993.
Kasomo, Daniel W. Measurement and Evaluation in Humanities and Education: Teaching, Evaluation, Assessment and Testing. Lambert Academic, 2010.
Luther, James B. “Review of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test—Revised.” Journal of School Psychology, vol. 30, Spring 1992, pp. 31–39.
Sattler, Jerome M. Assessment of Children. 7th ed. Jerome M. Sattler Publisher, 2024.
Smith, Douglas K. Essentials of Individual Achievement Assessment. Wiley, 2008.