(PIC-2) Personality Inventory for Children, Second Edition

BY DAVID LACHAR, PHD AND CHRISTIAN P. GRUBER, PHD

This highly regarded test is widely used by clinical and school psychologists to evaluate the emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and interpersonal adjustment of children and teens. The PIC-2 is one of three coordinated instruments: 

• PIC-2: provides the parents’ description of the child
• SBS (page 96): provides a teacher rating
• PIY (page 97): provides the child’s self-report

While each of these instruments has been validated to function independently, together they provide an integrated picture of the child’s adjustment at home, at school, and in the community. 

Broad Content Coverage

Appropriate for evaluating 5- through 19-year-olds, the PIC-2 includes 275 true/false items on the following scales:

Response Validity Scales

• Inconsistency
• Dissimulation
• Defensiveness

Adjustment Scales and Subscales

• Cognitive Impairment
  • Inadequate Abilities
  • Poor Achievement
  • Developmental Delay
• Impulsivity and Distractibility
  • Disruptive Behavior
  • Fearlessness
• Delinquency
  • Antisocial Behavior
  • Dyscontrol
  • Noncompliance
• Family Dysfunction
  • Conflict Among Members
  • Parent Maladjustment
• Reality Distortion
  • Developmental Deviation
  • Hallucinations and Delusions
• Somatic Concern
  • Psychosomatic Preoccupation
  • Muscular Tension and Anxiety
• Psychological Discomfort
  • Fear and Worry
  • Depression
  • Sleep Disturbance/Preoccupation With Death
• Social Withdrawal
  • Social Introversion
  • Isolation
• Social Skill Deficits
  • Limited Peer Status
  • Conflict With Peers 

Flexible, Time-Saving Administration      

The full scale can be completed by a parent or parent surrogate in about 40 minutes.

When you need a shorter administration, the PIC-2 offers a Behavioral Summary, which is comprised of the first 96 items on the test. Requiring just 15 minutes to administer, this version can be used for screening, research, or monitoring behavior change. It includes eight of the Adjustment Scales (all except Cognitive Impairment), each shortened to just 12 items. The Behavioral Summary Profile provides scores for the eight scales, plus a Total Score and three Composites: Externalization, Internalization, and Social Adjustment. Because the items on this short form are all in the present tense and all focused on conditions and behaviors that are responsive to relatively brief intervention, the Behavioral Summary is especially helpful in designing and evaluating individual treatment plans. It can be used on its own or scored as part of the full test.    

By providing two administration formats, the PIC-2 gives you a great deal of flexibility. The standard, 275-item profile assesses the full range of developmental, cognitive, adjustment, and interpersonal issues, with subscales that supply useful clinical detail and an optional critical items list divided into nine content categories. The 96-item Behavioral Summary offers brevity, strong correlation with the full scale, a focus on current behavior that is likely to respond to treatment, and broad summary measures useful in evaluating change.

The PIC-2 was standardized on ratings from 2,306 parents of boys and girls in kindergarten through 12th grade. Protocols were collected from 23 urban, rural, and suburban schools in 12 states. Participating parents represented all socioeconomic levels and all major ethnic groups. In addition, data were collected from a sample of 1,551 parents whose children had been referred for educational or clinical intervention.

Computer Scoring for the PIC-2, PIY, and SBS

The PIC-2/PIY/SBS CD offers scoring only, so you save considerable time without adding significant cost. Using this CD, you can score 25 administrations of either the PIC-2, PIY, or SBS, or any combination of the three tests up to 25 total uses. (In the case of the PIC-2, the CD will score either the standard form or the shorter Behavioral Summary.)    

The program is designed for on-screen administration. (Items are presented on screen.) If you choose to administer the tests away from the computer and enter responses later, you will also need Administration Booklets and Answer Sheets for the PIC-2 (W-375B-1 or W-375B and W-375C) and PIY (W-287E-1 or W-287E and W-287L) and Answer Sheets for the SBS (W-360C).

Computer Scoring and Interpretation for the PIC-2 and PIY

Scoring and Interpretation CDs are available for the PIC-2 and PIY (see page 97). Every time you use the CD you’ll get a complete interpretive report with a detailed profile and a full explanation of scale and subscale scores, including implications for treatment.