Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) Exam — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A child who will turn 16 is being assessed; the examiner mistakenly uses the WISC-V instead of the WAIS-IV. Which statement about the PRI on both instruments is most accurate?

Both instruments include a Perceptual Reasoning Index, but subtests and norms differ between child and adult versions
The PRI is identical across the WISC-V and WAIS-IV, including the same normative tables
The WISC-V replaced the PRI with the Visual Spatial Index, eliminating direct comparability (Correct answer)
Only the WAIS-IV has a PRI; the WISC-V uses a different composite structure

Correct answer: The WISC-V replaced the PRI with the Visual Spatial Index, eliminating direct comparability

The WISC-V restructured its composites and replaced the PRI with the Visual Spatial Index (VSI) and Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI), so the composites are not directly comparable.

Question 2: Which of the following cognitive abilities is a primary function measured by the Working Memory Index (WMI)?

Holding and mentally manipulating information (Correct answer)
Visual-motor coordination and speed
Abstract verbal concept formation
Retrieval of long-term factual knowledge

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: Why is the GAI preferred over the FSIQ when an examinee has a significant discrepancy between GAI and the Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI)?

Federal law requires GAI use when processing speed scores fall below 80
A large GAI–CPI discrepancy indicates that the FSIQ is not a valid unitary estimate of general intelligence (Correct answer)
The CPI subtests have lower floors, making GAI a more accurate low-end estimate
The GAI is always more reliable than the FSIQ for adults over age 65

Correct answer: A large GAI–CPI discrepancy indicates that the FSIQ is not a valid unitary estimate of general intelligence

When GAI and CPI differ substantially, the FSIQ blends two dissimilar cognitive profiles into one number, making it a misleading summary; the GAI better represents reasoning and knowledge in those cases.

Question 4: A clinician notes an examinee scores significantly lower on Vocabulary than on Information. What might this pattern suggest?

Better abstract reasoning than verbal ability
Better rote factual knowledge than expressive word knowledge (Correct answer)
Superior processing speed
Stronger working memory than language skills

Correct answer: Better rote factual knowledge than expressive word knowledge

Higher Information relative to Vocabulary may reflect strong factual/general knowledge with weaker expressive vocabulary or word retrieval.

Question 5: Visual Puzzles, a core PRI subtest on the WAIS-IV, primarily measures which cognitive skill?

Verbal abstract reasoning
Auditory working memory
Processing speed under perceptual load
Mental rotation and spatial analysis (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Mental rotation and spatial analysis

Visual Puzzles requires the examinee to mentally reassemble puzzle pieces to form a target image, measuring spatial analysis and mental rotation.

Question 6: In WAIS-IV scoring, what happens to the PSI if an examinee completes a supplemental subtest (e.g., Cancellation) but not both core subtests?

Cancellation can fully replace Coding to form the PSI
The PSI cannot be computed without both core subtests completed (Correct answer)
The PSI defaults to the mean score of 100
The examiner prorates the score using one core subtest

Correct answer: The PSI cannot be computed without both core subtests completed

Both core subtests (Coding and Symbol Search) must be completed to derive a valid PSI; Cancellation is supplemental and cannot substitute.

Question 7: Which statement most accurately reflects the relationship between PRI and academic achievement in research literature?

PRI predicts reading achievement more strongly than math achievement
PRI predicts mathematics achievement better than reading, due to its spatial and quantitative reasoning demands (Correct answer)
PRI predicts writing achievement exclusively
PRI has no meaningful relationship with academic achievement

Correct answer: PRI predicts mathematics achievement better than reading, due to its spatial and quantitative reasoning demands

Spatial and nonverbal reasoning abilities captured by the PRI are more strongly linked to mathematical performance than to reading achievement.

Question 8: The WAIS-IV normative age bands for adults 70 and older are typically narrower (e.g., 70-74, 75-79) compared to younger bands. Why?

Legal requirements mandate narrower age bands for elderly populations
There were fewer older adults in the normative sample
Older adults show higher IQ variability than younger adults
Cognitive abilities decline faster with age in older adults, requiring finer distinctions (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Cognitive abilities decline faster with age in older adults, requiring finer distinctions

Narrower age bands in older adult ranges capture the accelerating rate of age-related cognitive change that occurs in later adulthood.

Question 9: A PRI score that is significantly higher than the VCI is most commonly associated with which population or learning profile?

Individuals with nonverbal learning disabilities
Individuals with ADHD and processing speed deficits
Individuals with high crystallized intelligence
Individuals with language-based learning disabilities or limited English proficiency (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Individuals with language-based learning disabilities or limited English proficiency

A PRI > VCI pattern is frequently observed when verbal or language difficulties depress VCI while nonverbal reasoning remains intact.

Question 10: A psychologist is administering the WAIS-IV. Which combination of core subtests contributes to the Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI)?

Similarities, Vocabulary, Information
Block Design, Matrix Reasoning, Visual Puzzles (Correct answer)
Symbol Search, Coding, Cancellation
Digit Span, Arithmetic, Letter-Number Sequencing

Correct answer: Block Design, Matrix Reasoning, Visual Puzzles

The three core subtests that form the Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) on the WAIS-IV are Block Design, Matrix Reasoning, and Visual Puzzles. These tasks require visual analysis, synthesis, and nonverbal abstract problem-solving.

Question 11: Which of the following best describes a 'qualitative' observation a clinician might record during VCI subtests?

The examinee's VCI was in the Average range
The examinee frequently asked for repetition of questions (Correct answer)
The examinee scored a scaled score of 9
The examinee completed items within time limits

Correct answer: The examinee frequently asked for repetition of questions

Qualitative observations capture behavioral process information (e.g., need for repetition, self-corrections) beyond the numerical score.

Question 12: Which cognitive theory most directly underlies the construct measured by the VCI?

Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences
Piaget's formal operational stage
Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory's crystallized intelligence (Gc) (Correct answer)
Vygotsky's zone of proximal development

Correct answer: Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory's crystallized intelligence (Gc)

The VCI was designed to align with CHC theory, specifically the crystallized intelligence (Gc) stratum that reflects accumulated verbal knowledge and reasoning.

Question 13: On the WAIS-IV Coding subtest, what happens if the examinee skips an item?

Skipping is allowed and does not affect the score
The skipped item is scored as 0 and the examinee continues
The subtest is discontinued after any skip
The examiner must redirect the examinee to complete items in order (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The examiner must redirect the examinee to complete items in order

Examinees must complete Coding items in order; the examiner redirects them if they skip an item, as the normative scoring assumes sequential completion.

Question 14: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) most consistently impairs which WAIS index first and most severely?

Working Memory Index
Perceptual Reasoning Index
Verbal Comprehension Index
Processing Speed Index (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Processing Speed Index

TBI reliably and disproportionately reduces processing speed, making PSI the index most sensitive to acquired brain injury.

Question 15: Which of the following modifications is NOT a standardized accommodation for WAIS WMI subtests in examinees with hearing impairments?

Repeating items once if misheard
Allowing unlimited time extensions (Correct answer)
Using a qualified interpreter
Providing written stimuli on cards

Correct answer: Allowing unlimited time extensions

Allowing unlimited time extensions is not a standard accommodation; WMI subtests do not have strict time limits in the first place, and non-standardized changes invalidate norms.

Question 16: An examinee with expressive aphasia after a stroke would most likely show:

Higher VCI than PRI
Depressed VCI scores due to difficulty producing verbal responses (Correct answer)
Unaffected VCI because the tasks are nonverbal
Elevated VCI scores because receptive language is intact

Correct answer: Depressed VCI scores due to difficulty producing verbal responses

Expressive aphasia impairs the spoken output required on Vocabulary, Similarities, and Comprehension, resulting in artificially low VCI scores.

Question 17: A clinician notes that an examinee scores significantly higher on Digit Span Forward than Digit Span Backward. What does this discrepancy most likely indicate?

Superior crystallized intelligence
Difficulty with active mental manipulation (Correct answer)
Enhanced phonological loop capacity
Stronger visuospatial working memory

Correct answer: Difficulty with active mental manipulation

A large forward-backward discrepancy suggests the examinee can passively hold information but struggles to actively manipulate it in working memory.

Question 18: Which of the following is LEAST likely to be a primary cognitive skill measured by the Symbol Search subtest of the PSI?

Decision-making speed
Verbal abstract reasoning (Correct answer)
Sustained attention and concentration
Visual scanning and discrimination

Correct answer: Verbal abstract reasoning

Symbol Search requires the examinee to quickly scan a search group of symbols and determine if a target symbol is present. This task relies heavily on visual scanning, discrimination, decision-making speed, and sustained attention. Verbal abstract reasoning, the ability to understand and work with abstract verbal concepts, is a primary function of the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), not the PSI.

Question 19: A clinician interprets an FSIQ of 85 as falling in the 'Low Average' classification. What percentile rank does this score correspond to approximately?

16th percentile (Correct answer)
25th percentile
5th percentile
10th percentile

Correct answer: 16th percentile

An FSIQ of 85 is one standard deviation below the mean of 100 and corresponds to approximately the 16th percentile.

Question 20: The General Ability Index (GAI) is composed of which two WAIS-IV index scores?

Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) and Processing Speed Index (PSI)
Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) (Correct answer)
Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Working Memory Index (WMI)
Working Memory Index (WMI) and Processing Speed Index (PSI)

Correct answer: Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI)

The GAI is derived from the VCI and PRI subtests, providing an estimate of general intellectual ability that is less influenced by working memory and processing speed.

Question 21: In WAIS-IV tables, what two criteria are used together to determine whether a pairwise index score discrepancy is clinically significant?

Effect size (Cohen's d) and confidence interval overlap
Raw score difference and age-corrected standard score difference
Statistical significance (critical value) and base rate (frequency in the standardization sample) (Correct answer)
Standard error of measurement and practice effect estimate

Correct answer: Statistical significance (critical value) and base rate (frequency in the standardization sample)

A discrepancy must first exceed the critical value (statistical significance) and then be evaluated against base rate tables to determine how unusual that difference is in the normative population.

Question 22: What is the primary purpose of including a supplemental subtest like Figure Weights in the WAIS-IV PRI?

To add a verbal component to the PRI
To boost the PRI composite score automatically
To replace a core subtest if it was spoiled or the examinee was unable to complete it (Correct answer)
To serve as the primary measure of spatial construction

Correct answer: To replace a core subtest if it was spoiled or the examinee was unable to complete it

Figure Weights can substitute for a core PRI subtest if administration was invalidated, allowing a valid composite to still be calculated.

Question 23: In WAIS-IV standardization data, what is the approximate average raw Digit Span Forward score for adults aged 25–34?

10–12 digits
6–7 digits (Correct answer)
4–5 digits
8–9 digits

Correct answer: 6–7 digits

Normative data show most adults in this age range can correctly repeat sequences of approximately 6–7 digits forward.

Question 24: A General Ability Index (GAI) is calculated using which subtests on the WAIS-IV?

Only WMI and PSI subtests
VCI and WMI subtests only
All 10 core subtests
VCI and PRI core subtests only, excluding WMI and PSI (Correct answer)

Correct answer: VCI and PRI core subtests only, excluding WMI and PSI

The GAI combines VCI and PRI core subtests, providing an estimate of general ability less influenced by working memory and processing speed.

Question 25: An examinee completes the WAIS-IV. Their performance on the Processing Speed Index (PSI) is significantly lower than their scores on the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI). During the administration of the Coding subtest, the examiner notes the individual has considerable difficulty with graphomotor control, and their pencil grip appears awkward and inefficient. Which statement is the most accurate interpretation?

The discrepancy between the PSI and other indices suggests a lack of effort or motivation on the timed tasks.
The observed fine-motor difficulties may have suppressed the PSI score, suggesting it may not be a pure measure of cognitive speed for this individual. (Correct answer)
The low PSI score is likely a valid measure of slow cognitive processing, independent of motor skills.
The examinee likely has a co-occurring learning disability in reading, which is often linked to low PSI scores.

Correct answer: The observed fine-motor difficulties may have suppressed the PSI score, suggesting it may not be a pure measure of cognitive speed for this individual.

The Processing Speed Index, particularly the Coding subtest, requires rapid and precise visual-motor coordination. Significant difficulties with graphomotor skills can hinder performance, making it unclear if the low score is due to slow cognitive processing, slow motor output, or both. Therefore, the score may be an underestimate of the individual's actual cognitive processing speed.

Question 26: During administration of the WAIS Comprehension subtest, an examinee gives a vague answer. The examiner should:

Query with a neutral prompt such as 'Tell me more about that' (Correct answer)
Skip to the next item immediately
Give a hint about what the correct response should include
Provide the correct answer to help the examinee

Correct answer: Query with a neutral prompt such as 'Tell me more about that'

Standard query prompts allow the examinee to elaborate without leading them toward the correct answer, preserving standardized administration.

Question 27: In the standard scoring convention for the WAIS, what are the respective mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) for individual subtest scaled scores and for the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ)?

M=50, SD=10 for subtests; M=100, SD=15 for FSIQ.
M=10, SD=3 for subtests; M=100, SD=15 for FSIQ. (Correct answer)
M=100, SD=15 for subtests; M=100, SD=15 for FSIQ.
M=10, SD=5 for subtests; M=100, SD=10 for FSIQ.

Correct answer: M=10, SD=3 for subtests; M=100, SD=15 for FSIQ.

The WAIS uses two different metrics. Performance on individual subtests is converted to scaled scores, which have a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3. Composite scores, such as the Index Scores and the FSIQ, are on a different scale with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.

Question 28: A graduate student is learning to administer the WAIS-IV. The supervisor emphasizes that basal and ceiling rules exist primarily to:

Reduce unnecessary testing time while ensuring the difficulty range around the examinee's ability level is sampled (Correct answer)
Ensure the examinee completes every item in the subtest
Allow examinees to skip items they find too difficult
Prevent the examiner from running out of test materials

Correct answer: Reduce unnecessary testing time while ensuring the difficulty range around the examinee's ability level is sampled

Basal and ceiling rules efficiently bracket the examinee's ability range, avoiding administration of items far too easy or too hard.

Question 29: Neuroimaging studies examining WAIS working memory tasks typically show greatest activation in which brain region?

Prefrontal cortex and parietal areas (Correct answer)
Hippocampus
Primary visual cortex
Cerebellum

Correct answer: Prefrontal cortex and parietal areas

Prefrontal and parietal cortices form the core neural network supporting active maintenance and manipulation in working memory.

Question 30: A significant VCI > PRI discrepancy in a right-handed adult is most consistent with which neuropsychological hypothesis?

Elevated crystallized intelligence relative to working memory capacity
Generalized intellectual decline affecting all cognitive domains equally
Relative weakness in right-hemisphere visuospatial processing compared to left-hemisphere verbal abilities (Correct answer)
Preferential impairment of phonological processing and reading decoding

Correct answer: Relative weakness in right-hemisphere visuospatial processing compared to left-hemisphere verbal abilities

Because PRI tasks rely heavily on right-hemisphere visuospatial processing, a VCI > PRI pattern in a right-handed individual can suggest relative right-hemisphere dysfunction.

Question 31: With the introduction of the WAIS-V, how was the construct previously measured by the Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) restructured?

It remained unchanged from the WAIS-IV.
It was split into the Visual Spatial Index (VSI) and the Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI). (Correct answer)
It was combined with the Working Memory Index.
It was replaced entirely by a new 'Non-verbal Index'.

Correct answer: It was split into the Visual Spatial Index (VSI) and the Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI).

The WAIS-V restructured the four-factor model of the WAIS-IV into a five-factor model. The Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) was split into two separate indices: the Visual Spatial Index (VSI), which includes subtests like Block Design and Visual Puzzles, and the Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI), which includes subtests like Matrix Reasoning and Figure Weights.

Question 32: An examinee who scores in the Superior range on VCI and PRI but Low Average on PSI would BEST be described as having:

Normal variation with no clinical significance
Global intellectual disability
A specific processing speed weakness relative to intact higher-order cognition (Correct answer)
Evidence of malingering

Correct answer: A specific processing speed weakness relative to intact higher-order cognition

This profile reflects a specific relative weakness in processing speed while higher-order reasoning abilities remain strong.

Question 33: Which WAIS-IV subtest requires the examinee to arrange a series of cartoon pictures into a logical story sequence?

Matrix Reasoning
Picture Arrangement (Correct answer)
Picture Completion
Visual Puzzles

Correct answer: Picture Arrangement

Picture Arrangement (removed in WAIS-IV but present in WAIS-III) required examinees to sequence cartoon pictures to tell a coherent story.

Question 34: On the WAIS-IV, supplemental VCI subtests include:

Symbol Search
Letter-Number Sequencing
Word Reasoning (Correct answer)
Block Design

Correct answer: Word Reasoning

Word Reasoning is a supplemental VCI subtest that asks examinees to identify a concept described by increasingly specific clues.

Question 35: Visual Puzzles on the WAIS-IV requires the examinee to do which of the following WITHOUT physically manipulating objects?

Match colors on blocks to a printed model
Arrange cards depicting a social story in order
Mentally reassemble a completed puzzle from component pieces (Correct answer)
Identify a missing piece in an incomplete picture

Correct answer: Mentally reassemble a completed puzzle from component pieces

Visual Puzzles assesses mental rotation and spatial synthesis by having examinees identify three pieces that reconstruct a target design.

Question 36: Which statement about the Vocabulary subtest ceiling is correct?

Examinees can pass later items to return to earlier ones
Discontinue after the first 0-point response
All items must be administered regardless of performance
Testing is discontinued after a specified number of consecutive 0-point responses (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Testing is discontinued after a specified number of consecutive 0-point responses

WAIS-IV Vocabulary uses a discontinue rule based on a set number of consecutive 0-point responses to prevent unnecessary testing.

Question 37: The Cancellation subtest on the WAIS-IV includes two trials: one with randomly arranged stimuli and one with structured rows. What is the MAIN purpose of having both formats?

To measure verbal encoding of visual stimuli
To replace Symbol Search in clinical populations
To double the number of scorable items for reliability
To assess how stimulus organization affects scanning efficiency (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To assess how stimulus organization affects scanning efficiency

Comparing random versus structured Cancellation trials reveals whether organization of the visual field aids or does not affect the examinee's scanning speed.

Question 38: On the WAIS-IV Digit Span subtest, which condition is considered the most sensitive measure of working memory manipulation?

All conditions equally
Digit Span Sequencing (Correct answer)
Digit Span Backward
Digit Span Forward

Correct answer: Digit Span Sequencing

Digit Span Sequencing requires the examinee to reorder digits from lowest to highest, demanding active mental manipulation rather than simple repetition.

Question 39: What is the age range covered by the WAIS-IV normative sample?

6 to 16 years
21 to 85 years
18 to 75 years
16 to 90 years (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 16 to 90 years

The WAIS-IV normative sample spans ages 16 to 90 years 11 months, making it appropriate for adults across the lifespan.

Question 40: On the Comprehension subtest, a question asks 'Why do we shake hands when we meet someone?' A 2-point answer would:

Provide two plausible social or cultural reasons (Correct answer)
Reference a historical origin only
Refuse to answer
Simply say 'it is polite'

Correct answer: Provide two plausible social or cultural reasons

Two-point Comprehension responses typically provide two distinct, conceptually different reasons or a more complete explanation.

Question 41: Why is the PSI considered a particularly useful index for detecting the early cognitive effects of multiple sclerosis (MS)?

MS elevates PSI scores due to cortical reorganization
MS impairs verbal retrieval before all other functions
MS primarily destroys hippocampal neurons first
MS causes demyelination that directly slows neural transmission speed (Correct answer)

Correct answer: MS causes demyelination that directly slows neural transmission speed

MS attacks myelin sheaths, slowing neural conduction and producing measurable decrements in processing speed early in the disease course.

Question 42: On the WAIS Similarities subtest, an examiner asks 'How are a poem and a novel alike?' The best response would be:

Both use words to express ideas or tell stories (Correct answer)
Both are always fiction
Both are read silently
Both are exactly the same length

Correct answer: Both use words to express ideas or tell stories

Similarities responses earn full credit when they identify an abstract, superordinate category shared by both items (e.g., literary forms using language).

Question 43: A clinician compares a client's WAIS-IV FSIQ with their WMS-IV memory scores. This practice reflects which type of validity evidence?

Face validity
Convergent and discriminant validity (Correct answer)
Predictive validity
Content validity

Correct answer: Convergent and discriminant validity

Comparing WAIS-IV and WMS-IV scores examines both convergent validity (related cognitive domains) and discriminant validity (distinct constructs).

Question 44: When computing the WMI from WAIS-IV core subtests, which two subtests are combined?

Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing (Correct answer)
Digit Span and Coding
Digit Span and Arithmetic
Letter-Number Sequencing and Arithmetic

Correct answer: Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing

The WMI is derived from Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing as its two core subtests.

Question 45: Which WAIS-IV subtest requires the examinee to listen to a sequence of letters and numbers, then recall the numbers in ascending order followed by the letters in alphabetical order?

Symbol Search
Digit Span
Arithmetic
Letter-Number Sequencing (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Letter-Number Sequencing

Letter-Number Sequencing requires mental reordering of a mixed sequence, making it a core WMI subtest.

Question 46: Why is the PRI considered less culturally biased than the VCI when testing individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds?

PRI subtests are administered without any verbal instructions from the examiner
PRI subtests rely on visual stimuli and require minimal verbal instructions or language-based responses (Correct answer)
PRI scores are adjusted automatically for language background in scoring tables
PRI subtests use culturally universal colors and symbols agreed upon internationally

Correct answer: PRI subtests rely on visual stimuli and require minimal verbal instructions or language-based responses

Because PRI tasks use visual stimuli and point-to-response formats rather than verbal generation, they place fewer demands on English language proficiency.

Question 47: The PRI is considered a measure of which broad cognitive ability in the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model?

Short-term memory (Gsm)
Crystallized intelligence (Gc)
Processing speed (Gs)
Fluid intelligence (Gf) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Fluid intelligence (Gf)

PRI tasks require novel problem-solving with visual stimuli, aligning with fluid intelligence (Gf) in the CHC model.

Question 48: When interpreting the WAIS-IV results, the General Ability Index (GAI) is sometimes used instead of the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ). The GAI is calculated to provide an estimate of general intelligence that is less influenced by which two indices?

Working Memory and Processing Speed (Correct answer)
Perceptual Reasoning and Working Memory
Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Reasoning
Verbal Comprehension and Processing Speed

Correct answer: Working Memory and Processing Speed

The General Ability Index (GAI) is derived from the core subtests of the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and the Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI). It is intentionally calculated to minimize the influence of cognitive abilities that are more vulnerable to impairment, specifically working memory and processing speed. This makes the GAI a useful score when an individual's performance may be unduly affected by attention, concentration, or processing speed deficits.

Question 49: When scoring Block Design, which type of error results in a time-bonus point being forfeited even if the design is ultimately correct?

Completing the design after the time limit expires (Correct answer)
Asking for clarification mid-trial
Rotating a single block slightly off-axis
Starting the design with the wrong block

Correct answer: Completing the design after the time limit expires

Block Design awards time-bonus points only for correct responses completed within specific time thresholds; exceeding the time limit forfeits any bonus.

Question 50: When a clinician calculates the GAI instead of the FSIQ, which two index scores are intentionally excluded?

VCI and PRI
WMI and PSI (Correct answer)
VCI and WMI
PRI and PSI

Correct answer: WMI and PSI

The GAI is derived from the VCI and PRI only, deliberately omitting Working Memory Index and Processing Speed Index scores.

Question 51: The Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI) on the WAIS-IV is derived from which two index scores?

Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Processing Speed Index (PSI)
Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) and Working Memory Index (WMI)
Full Scale IQ and General Ability Index (GAI)
Working Memory Index (WMI) and Processing Speed Index (PSI) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Working Memory Index (WMI) and Processing Speed Index (PSI)

The CPI combines WMI and PSI to measure cognitive efficiency—how quickly and accurately an individual manipulates and processes information.

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) Exam

The WAIS is the gold-standard individually administered intelligence test, measuring verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed, and fluid reasoning across multiple subtests.

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