WAIS - Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Working Memory Index (WMI) Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An examiner is administering the WAIS-IV to a client who reports significant test anxiety. On which of the following indices is the client's performance MOST likely to be negatively impacted by their anxiety?
- Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)
- Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI)
- Working Memory Index (WMI) (Correct answer)
- Full Scale IQ (FSIQ)
Correct answer: Working Memory Index (WMI)
The Working Memory Index (WMI) is highly susceptible to factors like anxiety and poor concentration. The subtests, such as Digit Span and Arithmetic, require sustained attention and mental control, which are often disrupted by anxiety.
Question 2: Which of the following cognitive abilities is a primary function measured by the Working Memory Index (WMI)?
- Retrieval of long-term factual knowledge
- Visual-motor coordination and speed
- Abstract verbal concept formation
- Holding and mentally manipulating information (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Holding and mentally manipulating information
The WMI is specifically designed to assess an individual's ability to take in information, hold it in immediate awareness, and then perform some mental operation on it. This core function is often described as holding and manipulating information.
Question 3: A 35-year-old client is referred for an evaluation due to lifelong difficulties with organization, sustaining focus during meetings, and completing multi-step projects at work. On the WAIS-IV, you might expect to see a significantly lower score on the Working Memory Index (WMI) compared to their Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI). This pattern is often associated with which condition?
- A specific learning disorder in reading
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Correct answer)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Correct answer: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Adults with ADHD frequently exhibit a cognitive profile on the WAIS-IV characterized by significant weaknesses in working memory and processing speed, while their verbal comprehension abilities may be average or even above average. The described difficulties are hallmark symptoms of ADHD.
Question 4: The core subtests that comprise the Working Memory Index (WMI) on the WAIS-IV are:
- Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing
- Arithmetic and Symbol Search
- Digit Span and Arithmetic (Correct answer)
- Letter-Number Sequencing and Cancellation
Correct answer: Digit Span and Arithmetic
On the WAIS-IV, the two core subtests used to calculate the Working Memory Index are Digit Span and Arithmetic. Letter-Number Sequencing is a supplemental subtest for this index.
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT a primary cognitive domain assessed by the Working Memory Index (WMI)?
- Attention and concentration
- Mental manipulation
- Visual-spatial reasoning (Correct answer)
- Auditory sequential processing
Correct answer: Visual-spatial reasoning
While some working memory tasks can have a visual component, visual-spatial reasoning as a primary domain is measured by the Visual Spatial Index (on the WAIS-V) or the former Perceptual Reasoning Index (on the WAIS-IV). The WMI primarily focuses on auditory attention, concentration, and mental manipulation.
Question 6: With the transition from the WAIS-IV to the WAIS-5, the core subtests for the Working Memory Index were updated. What are the two core WMI subtests in the WAIS-5?
- Digit Span and Arithmetic
- Digit Span Sequencing and Running Digits (Correct answer)
- Spatial Addition and Symbol Span
- Arithmetic and Letter-Number Sequencing
Correct answer: Digit Span Sequencing and Running Digits
The WAIS-5 updated the WMI to broaden its construct coverage. The two new core subtests that compose the primary WMI are Digit Span Sequencing and Running Digits.
WAIS - Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Working Memory Index (WMI) Questions and Answers 1
An examiner is administering the WAIS-IV to a client who reports significant test anxiety.
On which of the following indices is the client's performance MOST likely to be negatively impacted by their anxiety?