The Children’s Psychological
Processes Scale (CPPS)
Dr. Milton J. Dehn
Schoolhouse Educational Services
cpps@psychprocesses.com
Notice of Copyright 2014
This PowerPoint presentation and
accompanying materials are copyrighted by
Milton J. Dehn and Schoolhouse Educational
Services, LLC. They are not to be reprinted,
copied, or electronically disseminated without
written permission. To obtain permission,
email milt@psychprocesses.com.
Webinar Information Sources
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DSM-5
Essentials of Processing Assessment, 2nd Ed.
Children’s Psychological Processes Scale (CPPS)
Psychological Processing Analyzer 2.0 (PPA
www.psychprocesses.com
Presenter Contact: milt@psychprocesses.com
Other references from research articles
available
Webinar Topics
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Defining SLD (DSM-5)
Neuropsychological weaknesses and SLD
Overview of the CPPS
General principles for psychological
processing interventions
5. NEXT TIME: Specific interventions & details
DSM-5 Definition of SLD
1. Considers SLD to be a type of
neurodevelopmental disorder that impedes
learning and acquisition of academic skills
2. In contrast some aspects of
neurodevelopment are fine
3. DSM-5 diagnosis should meet educational
criteria better than in the past; more
consistent with RTI
DSM-5 SLD Changes
1. One overarching category with 3 specific
manifestations: reading, math, writing.
“Specifiers” used to specify the nature of the
LD.
2. Elimination of IQ-Achievement
3. Cognitive processing weaknesses no longer
required
4. More than standardized test scores needed
5. Addition of 4 criteria
New DSM-5 Criteria
1. One of these 6 symptoms has persisted for at
least 6 months despite interventions
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Inaccurate or slow word reading
Difficulty understanding what is read
Difficulty with spelling
Difficulty with written expression
Difficulty mastering math
Difficulty with math reasoning
New DSM-5 Criteria
2. Skills are significantly below those expected
for age and are causing impairment as
measured by standardized achievement tests
3. The learning difficulties began during school
years
4. Other disorders must be ruled out
Neuropsychological Perspective on SLD
1. DSM-5 acknowledges that SLD is caused by
neurodevelopmental disorders but than drops
requirement to identify those deficient
neuropsychological processes
2. This decision is also puzzling in view of recent
neuroscience documentation of brain-based
causes of SLD
3. The need for a “comprehensive clinical
assessment” could be partially met with a rating
scale
Some Evidence for the SLD-Processing
Weaknesses Connection
Meta-Analysis of 32 studies by Johnson et al.
(2010) found “moderately large to large effect
sizes (many close to one standard deviation of
difference) in cognitive processing differences
between groups of students with SLD and
typically achieving students.” The processes
included were: Working memory, short-term
memory, phonological processing, processing
speed, executive function, and language.”
Neuropsychological Perspective on SLD
1. Neurologically-based weaknesses underlie SLD
1. There is a brain basis to SLD
2. Neuropsychological processing weaknesses “cause” SLD
2. There’s no SLD if there’s no processing weakness
3. Some processes are more highly related than others
with specific academic skills
4. Intra-individual weaknesses should be statistically
significant
5. PSW doesn’t mean there is a learning disability
Children’s Psychological Processes
Scale (CPPS)
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Standardized teacher rating scale
Ages 5-0-0 to 12-11-30
121 items across 11 subscales
Entirely online, internet-web based
Online administration time of 15 minutes
Online scoring and report
Author: Milton Dehn
Measurement Consultant: Kevin McGrew
CPPS Standardization
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1,121 students rated by 278 teachers
128 communities in 30 U.S. states
All data collected online
Demographics match U.S. Census well
Norms: 4 age groups (5-6; 7-8; 9-10; 11-12)
Included children with disabilities
Characteristics of CPPS Processes
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Brain-based
Interrelated
Necessary for academic learning
Predict academic learning
They are broad processes
Observable in classroom
Processes can be validly assessed through
ratings; similar to BRIEF
Psychological Processes
Measured by the CPPS
1. Attention
2. Auditory Processing
3. Executive Functions
4. Fine Motor
5. Fluid Reasoning
6. Long-Term Recall
7. Oral Language
8. Phonological Processing
9. Processing Speed
10. Visual-Spatial Processing
11. Working Memory
12. General Processing Ability (Composite)
Main Purpose of the CPPS
1. To identify psychological (cognitive)
processing weaknesses in children referred
for a learning disability evaluation
1. An additional source of data for diagnostic
purposes
2. Can be used as a Pattern of Strengths and
Weaknesses (PSW) analysis
3. Covers processes not directly tested
Additional Uses of the CPPS
1. Screening
1. Identifies need for intervention
2. Predicts academic skills development
3. Planning cognitive/neuropsychological testing
2. Measuring progress during interventions
1. Through the use of change-sensitive W-scores
2. Not subject to practice effects
The CPPS Identifies Children with SLD
1. LD subjects had significantly higher means on
all subscales; about 1.5 SD difference Link
2. The CPPS has high classification accuracy in
regards to LD
1. 37 LD subjects compared with matched controls
2. Using CPPS GPA cutoff of 60 had 92%
classification accuracy across 74 subjects
CPPS Factors
1. General Processing Ability: All 11 subscales;
efficiency of processing; produces GPA score
2. Self-Regulatory Processes: Attention, EF, and
WM subscales
3. Visual-Motor Processes: Fine Motor and
Visual-Spatial subscales
4. Clusters: Memory and Language
CPPS Reliability
1. Internal consistency subscale reliability
ranges from .88 to .98
2. .99 on Total Score
3. Inter-rater reliability
1. Range of .21 to .90
2. Median coefficient of 76.5
Correlations with Achievement
1. High correlations with WJ III Achievement
Test scores
1. The broader the achievement score, the higher
the correlations
2. The pattern of correlations is mostly as
predicted; for example; Phonological Processes
has a high correlation with Basic Reading Skills
Correlations with WJ III COG
1. All CPPS processes have significant
correlations with Cognitive Fluency (ability to
quickly and fluently perform cognitive tasks)
2. Most CPPS scales expected to link with WJ III
COG tests have significant correlations,
except attention and processing speed
3. Also, discriminant evidence: Those that
should not be related, do not have significant
correlations
Correlations with the BRIEF
1. CPPS Attention, Executive Functions, and
Working Memory (SRP Factor) have the
highest correlations with all BRIEF scales
2. CPPS Attention and EF mostly are >.70
indicating they measure same domains as
BRIEF
3. Other CPPS scales correlate with BRIEF
metacognitive scales but not behavioral
How the Online CPPS Works
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A psychologist side and a teacher side
Psychologist manages & has student records
Teachers can only access blank rating forms
Once teacher has completed ratings,
completed form goes to psychologist’s side
and teacher can no longer access
Completing Teacher Rating Form
1. Takes approximately 15 minutes
2. Responses: Never, Sometimes, Often, Almost
Always
3. Must respond to all items
4. Incomplete ratings will save and can be
completed later
5. Free paper copies can be printed.
Psychologist then fills in ratings online.
Item Printout
1. Teacher ratings can be viewed and printed,
even before report generated
2. Numerical values will be shown
3. Grouped by subscale
4. Arranged in developmental/difficulty
sequence from low to high
5. Example
CPPS Report
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Brief narrative, graph, and a table of scores
Change-sensitive W-scores
T-scores; percentiles; confidence intervals
Intra-individual strengths and weakness
discrepancy table
5. T-score to standard score converter
6. Example
CPPS Discrepancy Analysis
1. Use discrepancy table to determine pattern of
strengths and weaknesses
2. Predicted score based on mean of other 10
3. Regression toward the mean included
4. +/- 1.00 to 2.00 SD of SEE discrepancy options
5. Strengths and Weakness labeling is opposite of
discrepancy, e.g. “-” value = a strength
6. Link
Diagnosing LD with the CPPS
1. Look for pattern of strengths and weaknesses
(discrepancy table)
2. Ideally, weaknesses should also be normative
weaknesses (T-scores above 60)
3. Weaknesses should link to evidence-based
achievement relations
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is there a paper form?
Can I print individual item ratings?
Security?
Students 13 and older?
Parent form?
Psychological Processing Analyzer 2.0
1. Available at www.psychprocesses.com
2. Identifies statistically significant strengths,
weaknesses, deficits, and assets
3. Can enter composite and/or subtest scores
4. 11 psychological processes
5. Takes scores (almost 400 to choose from)
from more than 40 different scales: cognitive,
achievement, rating, and processing
Using Assessment Results to
Plan an Intervention
1. Select intra-individual processing
weaknesses for intervention
2. Normative weaknesses also appropriate
3. If both kinds of weaknesses, it’s a
priority
4. Adapt and individualize
To Select Methods, Consider:
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Learner’s needs, goals, and priorities
Related cognitive processing weaknesses
How well the strategy generalizes
The extent of practice required
Learner’s age and overall cognitive ability
Learner’s level of metamemory, executive
functioning, and strategy use
Neuropsychological Approach to
Processing Interventions
1. Try to directly strengthen the weakness
2. Use methods that involve other processes,
more of the brain
3. Principle: make the brain work; it gets better
4. Use strong areas to compensate
5. Also need accommodations that reduce the
need to use the weak processes, especially
when deficits are severe
Approaches to Improving WM
1. Reduce the learner’s “cognitive load”
2. Make more effective use of existing WM
capabilities by learning to use strategies
3. Directly increase WM capacity through the
brain-based training exercises
4. Strengthen long-term memory
5. Strengthen related processes, such as
executive
WM: Selecting Exercises and Strategies
There are general principles/methods that apply
to almost every case
1. WM should be included even if normal to
support LTM
2. Some LTM strategies should be included even
if normal to reduce load on WM
3. Executive functions should be strengthened
4. Existing strategies might need re-training
Six Big LTM Intervention Principles
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Deeper processing; e.g. elaboration
Visualization; e.g. dual encoding
Organization; e.g., semantic clustering
Associations, linking; e.g., mnemonics
Review and retrieve; e.g., testing effect
Metamemory
Metacognitive Component
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Applies to all processing interventions
Teach child how process works
Inform child of strengths and weaknesses
Teach how to control the process
Emphasize personal efficacy of intervention
Teach conditional strategy knowledge: how,
when, where, why
Questions, Comments, Summary