From Old to New: Examining Score Increases on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III.

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III (PPVT-III, Dunn & Dunn, 1997) is a relatively recent revision of the old standby, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R, Dunn & Dunn, 1981). Although the new vocabulary test appears to be improved in several aspects, there is one change that warrants serious attention. Data indicate that children from 4 to 10 years of age are scoring, on average, 10 standard score points higher on the PPVT-III than on the PPVT-R (Williams, 1998). This article investigates possible reasons for this change and discusses implications for clinical practice.