WISC-R subtest variability in a clinic-referred sample of Canadian children.

WISC-R protocols and demographic data were obtained from the files of 200 clinic-referred Canadian children (aged 6 yrs to 15 yrs 11 mo). 72% of the sample were referred because of some form of learning problem, emotional disturbance, developmental delay/retardation, and/or behavior disorder. Comparisons were made with normal Canadian children (J. Wersh and J. Briere, see record 1982-05521-001) and the American WISC-R standardization sample (A. Kaufman, Vols 56:3214 and 57:7179). A 1-sample Hotelling T–2 test was employed to examine subtest variability with reference to scale grand means, and a series of MANOVAs examined the effects of Full Scale IQ, age, and sex, and their interactions. The Discrepancy Index, Range Index, and Deviation Index of subtests were also calculated. Overall, subtest variability comparisons with the American normative population and normal Canadian children revealed a few distinct differences in degree and pattern of scatter on selected indices. The relationship of these findings to the literature on WISC-R subtest variability is discussed. (French abstract) (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Canadian items for the WAIS--R information subtest.

Administered the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS—R), plus Canadian replacement items for biased US items in the Information subtest, to 3 subgroups of the Canadian population (84 17–70 yr old psychiatric patients, 40 16–59 yr old forensic clients, and 20 university undergraduates). It was contended that when the 10 US items are used while testing Canadian population subgroups a cultural bias occurs. Seven acceptable substitute items were identified for all 3 subgroups. Three acceptable substitute items identified by M. S. Crawford and D. P. Boer (see record 1986-00124-001) were found unacceptable by the more stringent rank-order criteria used in this study. Methodological problems with the chi-square were found, suggesting the primary importance of the rank-order statistic in determining appropriateness of original and replacement items. Conceptual agreement with the need for WAIS—R Canadian norms was noted. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Abnormality of subtest score differences on the WISC-R.

Discusses the abnormality of the difference as a method for evaluating the magnitude of differences between pairs of WISC-R subtests. Generally, abnormal differences at the .05 level of significance range from 6 to 7 scaled score points and 8 to 10 scaled score points at the .01 level. Abnormal Verbal–Performance scale IQ differences are also considered. Such differences averaged 18 IQ points at the .05 level of significance and 24 IQ points at the .01 level. The diagnostic implications of the use of the abnormality of the difference for evaluating subtest score differences are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Item difficulty and content bias on the WAIS-R information subtest.

252 15–77 yr old patients referred for psychological or neuropsychological assessment were administered the WAIS-R. Of the 4 new items in the Information subtest, 2 were found to be disproportionately difficult in terms of proportions of Ss who passed the item. In addition, 3 of the 4 items that are routinely "Canadianized" were also found to be disproportionately difficult. It is suggested that a normative study to establish the hierarchy of difficulty for a Canadian population is needed. (French abstract) (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

WISC-R subtest variability in normal Canadian children and its relationship to sex, age, and IQ.

91 children (mean age 11.5 yrs), screened for absence of emotional and educational disabilities, were tested on the WISC-R and examined for significant subtest variability. Arithmetic, Digit Recall, Comprehension, and Coding differed significantly from the grand mean of all subtests. In a 2nd analysis, subtest variability was examined relative to Ss' sex, age, and overall IQ. Sex differences occurred on Information, Picture Completion, Arithmetic, Coding and Digit Recall. Age differences occurred on Information and marginally on Performance IQ. Sex and Age interacted on Performance IQ, and Sex and IQ interacted on Coding. It is suggested that the absence of sex-specific norms and separate norms for Canadian children may lessen the clinical interpretability of subtest differences on the WISC-R. (French abstract) (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

WISC Information subtest in a Canadian population.

Substituted 2 Canadian items in the Information subtest of the WISC. Data from test administration to 300 7-14 yr. old Canadian children were analyzed. Item analysis indicates that 1 substitution is reasonable but not the other. The Information subtest mean increased consistently with age but was consistently lower than the means of the other subtests. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Content bias in the WAIS--R Information subtest and some Canadian alternatives.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 17(3) of Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science Revue canadienne des Sciences du comportement (see record 2007-09780-001). An inadvertent error in one of the "acceptable answers" in Table 1 (p. 81) has surfaced. The answer which is in error is the second possible acceptable response to question 17Ciii, "Who was Louis Riel?". The answer "leader of the rebellion of 1837" is incorrect and should have read "leader of the Metis rebellion(s) of 1869-70 (and/or) 1885".] 38 undergraduates (ages 18–40 yrs) were individually administered the WAIS—R; the only deviation from standardized testing procedure was the addition of 17 Canadian content items in the Information subtest. Each Canadian item was administered directly following or preceding the American counterpart. There were 4 new items developed for the WAIS—R that were suspected to be biased in American content. This suspicion was empirically verified for Items 8, 13, and 14; but Item 17 was found to be appropriately placed in terms of difficulty level. Suitable Canadian equivalents were found for Items 8 and 17. The Canadian questions piloted for Item 14 were inappropriate. The Canadian equivalent for Item 13 appeared to potentially be a good substitute, but it did not meet the criterion of being significantly less difficult than the original item. (French abstract) (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

WAIS-R Information subtest item bias for Canadian high school students.

The WAIS-R Information subtest was combined with 21 potential substitute Canadian content items and group-administered to 119 high school students ranging in age from 16 to 19 years. Seven acceptable substitute items were identified. Mean scores on the American items for the 16-17 and 18-19 age groups suggested that Canadians of these ages are not penalized by American content with respect to either Verbal or Full Scale IQ. Nevertheless, the research identified eight Information items, four easier and four more difficult than the standard WAIS-R implies. Similar results were noted in two previous studies of the WAIS-R, and indicate the extreme caution required for the clinical interpretation of intra test scatter. There is also evidence that item difficulty within the Information subtest may vary with the age of the subject. These results were considered indicative of the necessity for Canadian content Information items and the development of Canadian norms for an adapted WAIS-R Information subtest. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Utility of WISC-R subtest analysis in discriminating among groups of conduct problem, withdrawn, mixed, and nonproblem boys.

Examined the ability of WISC-R subtest scores to distinguish among 3 groups of behaviorally disordered boys and a group of nondisordered Ss. The 100 7–16 yr old Ss were assigned to 1 of the 4 groups, based on their scores from the Behavior Problem Checklist. Results suggest that although WISC-R subtest scores distinguished among the groups, their use as a classification metric would be highly misleading. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

WISC-III subtest scatter as a function of highest subtest scaled score.

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—III (WISC-III) standardization data were analyzed to determine the frequency of occurrence for relative intersubtest scatter ranges. The relative scatter range was defined as the difference between the highest and lowest subtest scaled scores based on the value of the highest subtest scaled score. This approach to intersubtest scatter provides the greatest precision in scatter analysis to help clinicians determine whether the amount of scatter obtained in WISC-III clinical profiles is rare enough to be considered abnormal. For ease of clinical use, tables are provided that report frequency of occurrence for the lowest subtest scaled score by each level of highest subtest scaled score. Potential scatter range, rather than overall level of intelligence, was the primary determinant of the magnitude of scatter; the greater the possible range, the larger the magnitude of scatter. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bodily concerns and the WISC Object Assembly subtest.

Previous examinations of the hypothesis that bodily concerns are reflected in impaired WISC Object Assembly performance have produced contradictory results, but have also used different criteria for assignment of Ss to 2 S groups. To investigate whether these differences account for the discrepant results, 73 white, latency and early adolescent boys were assigned to 3 groups differing in intensity of bodily concerns. 1-way analyses of variance with covariance adjustments of relevant variables failed to yield any support for the hypothesis. Theoretical limitations of the hypothesis are discussed and a more appropriate approach suggested and supported by prima facie evidence gleaned from analysis of the finding that intensely bodily concerned boys performed significantly better (p     

Verbal-performance IQ discrepancies on the WISC-R.

Examined discrepancy scores (Verbal IQ minus Performance IQ) for the WISC-R, using the standardization sample--100 boys and 100 girls at each of 11 age levels between 61/2 and 161/2 yrs (2,200 Ss). The occurrence of significant discrepancy scores (Verbal > Performance and Performance > Verbal) was not significantly related to age, sex, or race, although significant relationships were obtained with both parental occupation and intelligence level. The mean absolute discrepancy score (regardless of sign) was about 10 IQ points for each age group, for boys and girls, for Blacks and Whites, and for the different occupational groups. Discrepancy score norms (cumulative distributions) are presented by intelligence level and are interpreted in terms of their clinical significance. Several of these findings closely parallel results of a study of the 1949 WISC by H. G. Seashore (see record 1952-06292-001). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Distinguishing learning-disabled and emotionally disturbed children on the WISC-R.

Isolated the distinctive WISC-R subtest patterns that would differentiate the performance of emotionally disturbed and learning-disabled children. A stepwise discriminant analysis was used to evaluate the subtest scores of 60 learning-disabled 6–13 yr olds and a matched sample of 60 emotionally disturbed children. Four subtests of the WISC-R differentiated significantly between diagnostic categories. Learning-disabled Ss performed predictively poorer on the Block Design, Picture Arrangement, and Object Assembly subtests and higher on Vocabulary than their emotionally disturbed counterparts. Results are interpreted as a deficit in perceptual organization for children with specific learning problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Wechsler Object Assembly subtest and bodily concerns.

This study tried to evaluate a hypothesis drawn from clinical impressions and from suggestive incidental data of prior research that concerns about body intactness will be reflected in a Wechsler subtest pattern where the Object Assembly (OA) score is lower than those of other subtests. OA scores were found to be significantly lower in children with bodily concerns than in a control group, and there were no other significant differences on other WISC subtests. Rorschachs of adult patients with low and high OA scores were compared and there was a significantly greater percentage of Rorschach responses indicating bodily concern in the group scoring low in OA. These findings are discussed in relation to the assessment of cognitive processes and ego functions in diagnostic testing, the process of clinical inference and prior research on body image. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Canadian versions of the information subtests of the Wechsler tests of intelligence.

Contends that the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC—R), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), and WAIS—R all contain an Information subtest that can be troublesome for Canadian test takers because of items with distinct American-biased content. Research from a variety of studies involving Canadianized versions of the Information subtest is reviewed, and on the basis of findings, suitable substitution items are recommended for Canadian test takers. It is argued that until a suitable normative study is done on Canadianized versions, the recommended items be adopted as standards, since a substantial gain in face validity is achieved. (French abstract) (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some useful statistics for the interpretation of the WISC-R.

Argues that based on factor analytic research (A. S. Kaufman, 1975) on the WISC-R, a linear combination of 4 subtests (I,S,V,C) converted into a verbal comprehension deviation quotient (VCDQ) offers a purer measure of verbal skills than the WISC-R's Verbal IQ. Similarly, a perceptual organization deviation quotient (PODQ) was developed as an alternative to Performance IQ. Reliability of both the PODQ and the VCDQ was found to be equivalent to that of the WISC-R's Verbal and Performance IQ, and they are equally easy to compute. The impact of using the VCDQ and the PODQ vs the Verbal and Performance IQ was examined using the WISC-R scores of a sample of 275 urban school children who were referred for psychological examination. Differences that could substantially effect test interpretation were found. Special considerations in the use of the PODQ and the VCDQ and the use of a freedom from distractibility deviation quotient (FDDQ) devised by J. S. Sattler (1974) are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and cross-validation of a short form for the WISC-R.

Multiple linear regression was used to derive a short form for the WISC-R in 300 6–17 yr olds receiving treatment and/or evaluation at a university-affiliated community mental health center. The predictive validity of this approach was examined via a cross validation that included 300 additional Ss from the same population; 2 short-form regression equations were taken from the work of L. P. Kennedy and S. T. Elder (see record 1982-08867-001), and a short form was derived from the Wechsler normative sample (D. Wechsler, 1974). Correlations and standard errors of the estimates are reported for both the original and cross-validational samples. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Abnormality of the difference and the WISC-R: Comment on Silverstein.

Discusses reactions by C. R. Reynolds (see record 1979-27697-001) and A. B. Silverstein (see PA, Vol 66:00000) to an earlier article by the present author (see record 1979-12366-001) that examined the size of abnormal differences between WISC-R subtest scaled scores and Verbal–Performance IQ scores. An error is acknowledged in the presentation of the Verbal–Performance IQ differences, and the validity of the abnormality of the difference statistic for examining subtest scaled scores is discussed. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised subtest scatter as a function of maximum subtest scaled score.

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (Wechsler, 1981) standardization data were analyzed to determine the frequency of relative intersubtest scatter. The relative scatter range was defined as the difference between the highest and lowest subtest scores based on the value of the highest subtest. This approach provides the greatest precision in scatter analysis to determine whether the amount of scatter obtained in clinical profiles is rare enough to be considered abnormal. For ease of clinical use, tables are provided that report frequency of a minimum (lowest) subtest score by each level of maximum (highest) subtest score. Potential scatter range, rather than overall level of intelligence, was the primary determinant of the magnitude of scatter; the greater the possible range the larger the magnitude of scatter. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)