WAIS Ethical and Clinical Application 4

Question 1

A psychologist completes a WAIS-IV evaluation and prepares a report for a client's primary care physician. The report should:

Accepted Answer

Translate technical findings into clinically meaningful language relevant to the referral question

Answer

Include raw subtest scores without interpretation to avoid overstepping professional boundaries

Answer

Omit any diagnosis to prevent the physician from drawing incorrect conclusions

Answer

Be identical to the report written for a legal proceeding

Question 2

An examinee who was previously administered the WAIS-III is now being re-evaluated with the WAIS-IV. The clinical and ethical significance of this is:

Accepted Answer

Practice effects and score changes between versions must be interpreted cautiously and disclosed in the report

Answer

There is no ethical concern since both tests measure the same construct

Answer

The clinician should re-administer the WAIS-III for consistency

Answer

Previous scores are irrelevant and should not be reviewed before testing

Question 3

What is the ethical obligation of a psychologist who discovers a scoring error in a previously released WAIS-IV report that changes the diagnostic conclusion?

Accepted Answer

Issue a corrected report and notify all parties who received and acted on the original report

Answer

Ignore the error since the report has already been submitted

Answer

Simply correct the office copy without informing external parties

Answer

Wait until the client returns for follow-up to disclose the error

Question 4

A psychologist is asked to administer the WAIS-IV in a language other than English to an examinee. If no translated and standardized version exists for that language, the appropriate ethical response is to:

Accepted Answer

Acknowledge the lack of validated norms, use an interpreter cautiously if needed, and qualify all interpretations significantly

Answer

Proceed with the English version and note the limitation

Answer

Administer the test using machine translation of instructions

Answer

Refuse all assessment until a fully validated version becomes available

Question 5

Which of the following violates the ethical standard of test security for the WAIS-IV?

Accepted Answer

Posting specific WAIS-IV test items and correct answers on a publicly accessible website

Answer

Describing to a client in general terms what types of tasks are involved

Answer

Keeping stimulus booklets in a locked cabinet

Answer

Discussing the structure of the test battery with a supervising psychologist

Question 6

A client with a known history of malingering is referred for a WAIS-IV evaluation. The ethically appropriate approach is to:

Accepted Answer

Include standardized performance validity tests alongside the WAIS-IV and document findings in the report

Answer

Administer only performance-based subtests since verbal tests are easier to fake

Answer

Decline the evaluation to avoid being manipulated

Answer

Report the client to the referral source before testing begins

Question 7

When a WAIS-IV Full Scale IQ score is used to determine eligibility for services, which ethical principle is most directly engaged?

Accepted Answer

Justice — ensuring fair access and non-discriminatory use of test results

Answer

Fidelity

Answer

Autonomy

Answer

Nonmaleficence only