TM

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 Wechsler’s Definition of IQ
“Intelligence is the aggregate or global capacity of the
individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to
deal effectively with his environment.”

– Global because it characterizes individual’s

behavior as a whole
– Aggregate because it is composed of elements or abilities
that are qualitatively differentiable

Wechsler, 1939
Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.
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 Revisions and Changes
Goals of the WAIS–III
Goal 1: Continuity and Familiarity
Goal 2: Updating of Norms
Goal 3: Extension of Age Range
Goal 4: Age-Corrected Norms
Goal 5: Improved Item Content
Goal 6: Improved Stimulus Materials

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Revisions and Changes
Goals of the WAIS–III
Goal 7: Improved Diagnostic and Descriptive Utility
Goal 8: De-emphasis on Performance Speed
Goal 9: Enhancement of Fluid Reasoning Assessment
Goal 10: Linkage with WMS–III and WIAT
Goal 11: Extensive Validity Studies
Goal 12: Enhancement of Scoring Rules

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Goal 1: Continuity and Familiarity

Basic Description of the WAIS–III

• Individual Administration
• Assessment of Cognitive Functioning in Adults,
Aged 16–89 Years
• Scale Composition
– 11 Subtests to Obtain IQ Scores
– 11 Subtests to Obtain Index Scores
– New Subtests: Matrix Reasoning, Symbol Search,
Letter–Number Sequencing
– Optional Subtest: Object Assembly

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Demographic Stratification
Variables
• Age
• Sex
• Race/Ethnicity
• Education Level
• Geographic Region

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Stratification Variables: Age
16– 18– 20– 25– 30– 35– 45– 55– 65– 470– 75– 80– 85–
17 19 24 29 34 44 54 64 695- 74 79 84 89
54

WAIS–
200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 150 100
III

WMS–
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 75 75
III

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Structure of the Scale
WAIS–III Levels of Performance
FSIQ
FSIQ

VIQ
VIQ PIQ
PIQ

VCI
VCI WMI
WMI POI
POI PSI
PSI
Vocabulary Digit Span Block Design Digit Symbol
Similarities Arithmetic Matrix Reasoning —Coding
Information Letter–Number Picture Completion Symbol Search
Comprehension Sequencing Picture Arrangement
Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.
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 WAIS–III Subtests for IQ Scores
Verbal Performance
• Vocabulary • Picture Completion
• Similarities • Digit Symbol—Coding
• Arithmetic • Block Design
• Digit Span • Matrix Reasoning
• Information • Picture Arrangement
• Comprehension

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 WAIS–III Subtests
for Index Scores
Verbal Perceptual Working Processing
Comprehension Organization Memory Speed
•• Vocabulary
Vocabulary • Picture Completion • Arithmetic • Digit
•• Similarities
Similarities • Block Design • Digit Span Symbol—Coding
•• Information
Information • Matrix Reasoning • Letter–Number • Symbol Search
Sequencing

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Summary of Verbal Subtest Changes
Total Unchanged Total
Items or Slightly Substantially New Items
Subtest WAIS–R Modified Modified Items WAIS–III
Vocabulary 35 25 0 8 33
Similarities 14 11 0 8 19
Arithmetic 14 13 1 6 20
Digit Span 14 14 0 1 15
Information 29 18 1 6 18
Comprehension 16 12 0 6 18
Letter–Number
Sequencing — — — 7 7

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Summary of Performance Subtest Changes
Total Unchanged Total
Items or Slightly Substantially New Items
Subtest WAIS–R Modified Modified Items WAIS–III

Picture Completion 20 8 2 15 25
Digit Symbol
—Coding 93 93 0 40 133
Block Design 9 9 0 5 14
Matrix Reasoning — — — 26 28
Picture
Arrangement 10 5 0 6 11
Symbol Search — — — 60 60
Object Assembly 4 3 1 2 5

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Converting Raw Scores to Scaled Scores
Reference
Age-Adjusted Scaled Scores
Group
Raw Scaled
SUBTESTS Score VERBAL PERF. VC PO WM PS Scores
Picture Completion 22 12 12 12
Vocabulary 56 13 13 15
Digit Symbol–Coding 54 7 7 6
Similarities 28 12 12 13
Block Design 41 11 11 10
Arithmetic 11 8 8 9
Matrix Reasoning 20 13 13 12

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Converting Sums of Scaled Scores
to IQ and Index Scores

IQ/INDEX SCORES VIQ PIQ FSIQ VCI POI WMI PSI

Sums of Scaled Scores 62 55 117

IQ/Index Scores 101 106 103

Percentiles 53 66 58
Confidence Intervals 96– 99– 99–
95 %
106 112 107

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Plotting Subtest Scores (IQ)

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Plotting Subtest Scores (Index)

Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Determining Strengths and Weaknesses
Total 67 70 = 137
÷ No. of Subtests 7 7 ÷ 14
Mean Score 9.57 10 Overall Mean 9.79
Frequency of
Statistical Difference in
Scaled Mean Difference Significance .Strength Weakness Standardization
SUBTESTS Score Score from Mean 05 Level (+) (–) Sample

Vocabulary 13 9.57 3.43 2.10 5 <5%

Similarities 12 9.57 2.43 2.77
Arithmetic 8 9.57 –1.57 2.63
Digit Span 7 9.57 –2.57 2.40 W >25%
Information 11 9.57 1.43 2.34
Comprehension 1 1 9.57 1.43 2.96
Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.
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 Discrepancy Analysis
Frequency of
Statistical Difference in
DISCREPANCY Score Score Significance Standardization
COMPARISONS 1 2 Difference .05 Level Sample

Verbal IQ –
Performance IQ VIQ 101 PIQ 106 -5 8.48
Verbal Comprehension –
Perceptual Organization VCI 110 POI 111 -1 9.78
Verbal Comprehension –
Working Memory VCI 110 WMI 80 30 9.08 2.3%
Perceptual Organization
– Processing Speed POI 111 PSI 79 32 12.13 2.6%

Digits Forward – FWD BKWD

Backward 7 5 2 60%
Copyright © 1997 by The Psychological Corporation. All rights reserved.
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