When administering SI, what should be done if the child scores 0 on the first two items?

When administering the Similarities Subtest in the WISC-V, if a child scores 0 on the first two items, the recommended approach is to administer the items in reverse order. This method allows the examiner to explore the child’s ability to draw logical connections using simpler or more familiar concepts, which might not have been effectively elicited in the initial attempt.

By reversing the order of items, the examiner may enable the child to demonstrate their understanding and verbal reasoning skills through different prompts, potentially leading to more accurate assessment results. This technique also aligns with the principle of maximizing the opportunity for the child to showcase their cognitive abilities without starting the entire test over, which could be time-consuming and may disrupt the child’s concentration or flow.

Other methods, such as starting over or skipping to a different age group, do not effectively utilize the principles of adaptive testing that the WISC-V embodies and may not provide useful insights into the child's capabilities.