Appendix I: The WISC-IV and WAIS-IV Subtests - Springer

1 170 Appendix I: The WISC-IV and WAIS-IV SubtestsBoth the WISC-IV and the WAIS-IV give five main scores for index abilities and Full Scale IQ, which correspond to the factors derived from factor analytic studies:Verbal Comprehension Index: A measure of an individual s ability to understand, learn and retain verbal information and to use language to solve novel Reasoning Index: A measure of an individual s ability to understand visual information and to solve novel abstract visual Memory Index: A measure of an individual s ability to hold verbal infor-mation in short-term memory and to manipulate that Speed Index: A measure of mental speed, though the score may also be affected by other cognitive factors, such as attention, as well as ability to use a Scale IQ.

2 A measure of an individual s overall cognitive ability based on the individual s performance on all the Subtests that are used to measure the four index scales. This is what we are referring to when we speak about an individual s measured of these scores is set to have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15 for the population as a WISC-IV has 15 Subtests , 10 of which are core Subtests that are usually used to measure the four index scores and Full Scale IQ. The other five are supplemen-tary Subtests that can be used if for some reason a core subtest cannot be used or is not appropriate for a particular Comprehension Index has three core Subtests , which are:SimilaritiesThe individual is presented with two words and asked how they are alike, for example, they may be asked how a peach and an apple are alike.

3 The test is designed to assess verbal reasoning and the development of individual is presented with words and is asked to define them. The test was developed to measure word knowledge and verbal concept 171 ComprehensionThe individual is asked questions about social and other situations, such as: Why should children not be allowed to work in factories? The test was developed to measure an individual s ability to understand complex questions and formulate are two supplementary Subtests that can be used to measure the Verbal Comprehension Index:InformationThe individual is given a series of general knowledge questions, such as: How far is it from London to Paris?

4 The test was developed to measure an individual s ability to acquire, retain and retrieve ReasoningThe individual is given a series of clues and has to say what the common concept is. The test was developed to measure verbal Reasoning Index has three core Subtests , which are:Block DesignThe individual is required to copy a pattern using coloured blocks. The item is designed to assess an individual s ability to understand complex visual ConceptsThe individual is shown either two or three rows of pictures and has to choose one picture from each row that share a common characteristic.

5 The test was developed to assess a child s ability to categorise ReasoningThe individual is presented with a matrix of abstract pictures in which there is one picture missing. She/he has then to choose which of a number of possible options the missing picture is. The test was developed non-verbal problem is one supplementary subtest that can be used to measure the Perceptual Reasoning Index:Picture CompletionThe individual is shown a picture in which there is a significant part missing, such as a man cutting down a tree using an axe without a head, and is required to say what is missing.

6 The test was developed to measure visual understanding and Memory Index has two core Subtests , which are:Digit SpanThere are two parts to this subtest . In the first part (digits forward) the individual is read a series of numbers and is required to say them back to the examiner. 172 AppendicesIn the second part (digits reversed) he/she is again read a series of numbers but this time she/he is required to say them back to the examiner in reverse order. The test was developed to measure verbal short-term memory, and SequencingThe child is read a series of letters and numbers and is required to repeat them back with the letters in alphabetical order and the numbers in numerical order.

7 The test was designed to measure an individual s ability to hold verbal information in memory while he/she manipulates is one supplementary subtest that can be used to measure the Working Memory Index:ArithmeticThis consists of a series of mental arithmetic questions such as: If Jo has 12 buns, he then eats 3 and gives 4 away how many does he have left? The test was designed to measure a number of mental tasks including the ability to hold information in memory while it is being Speed Index has two core Subtests , which are:CodingThe individual is presented with a key in which the numbers 1 to 9 are each paired with a different symbol; his/her task is then to use this key to put in the appropriate symbols for a list of numbers between 1 and 9.

8 The test was designed to measure speed of processing but also is affected by other cognitive abilities such as learning, short-term memory and SearchThe individual has to look at two target symbols and then examine a group of symbols to see if the target symbols are repeated. The test is designed to measure processing speed but is also affected by other cognitive abilities such as visual-motor coordination and is one supplementary subtest that can be used to measure the Processing Speed Index:CancellationThe child looks at a random sequence of pictures and is required to cross out target pictures.

9 In addition to processing speed it is probably affected by other factors such as attention, and visual ten core Subtests are used to measure Full Scale wais -IVSubtestsAs with the WISC-IV the test has 15 Subtests , 10 of which are core Subtests that are usually used to measure the four index scores and the Full Scale IQ. The other Appendices 173five are supplementary Subtests that can be used if for some reason a core subtest cannot be used or is not appropriate for a particular Comprehension Index has three core Subtests , which are: Similarities, Vocabulary, and Information.

10 Comprehension is a supplementary subtest . They are essentially the same Subtests as I describe above for the Reasoning Index has three core Subtests , which are: Block Design, and Matrix Reasoning, which are essentially the same as the subtest described for the WISC-IV , and a new core subtest Visual PuzzlesThe individual is shown a pattern and has to choose three possible parts to make up that pattern. The subtest was developed to measure non-verbal reasoning and the ability to understand abstract visual are also two supplementary Subtests that can be used to measure the Perceptual Reasoning Index.