The high score approach to scoring two Rorschach measures of cognitive development

This study investigated and compared the validity of the proposed "High Score" (HS) approach to scoring two Rorschach measures of cognitive development, Friedman's Developmental Level (DL) and Exner's Developmental Quality (DQ). These two measures were scored by the HS approach, and the resulting HSDL and HSDQ scores were examined in relation to age and five WISC-R indices of intelligence. These results were compared with those obtained when the same relationships were examined with the previously validated Wilensky (W) approach to scoring DL and DQ. In both instances the same sample was used: 134 children aged 5 to 16 years. The findings supported the validity of the HS approach--both HSDL and HSDQ generally showed the expected relationships with age and IQ. Also, HSDL and HSDQ had higher correlations with the WISC-R indices than did the corresponding WDL and WDQ scores. The HS approach did, however, hinder DQ's (but not DL's) discriminatory power with regard to IQ levels.