Wechsler Test Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV) Clinical Applications 2

Question 1

A clinician notes a 20-point discrepancy between a patient's Verbal Comprehension Index and Perceptual Reasoning Index. What is the most appropriate clinical interpretation?

Accepted Answer

The FSIQ may be less interpretable and index-level analysis is warranted

Answer

The Full Scale IQ alone fully summarizes ability

Answer

The test should be readministered immediately

Answer

The patient is malingering

Question 2

Which WAIS-IV index is considered most sensitive to the effects of anxiety, distractibility, and attentional problems during testing?

Accepted Answer

Working Memory Index

Answer

Verbal Comprehension Index

Answer

Perceptual Reasoning Index

Answer

General Ability Index

Question 3

The General Ability Index (GAI) is often used clinically because it:

Accepted Answer

Minimizes the influence of Working Memory and Processing Speed

Answer

Includes only Processing Speed subtests

Answer

Replaces the need for any index scores

Answer

Is derived solely from Digit Span

Question 4

A patient with a traumatic brain injury shows intact VCI and PRI but markedly low Processing Speed Index. This pattern most likely reflects:

Accepted Answer

Preserved reasoning with reduced cognitive efficiency

Answer

Global intellectual disability

Answer

Deliberate underperformance

Answer

Superior overall functioning

Question 5

When a clinician suspects a subtest score was affected by a broken pencil or examiner error, the best practice is to:

Accepted Answer

Document the circumstance and interpret that subtest cautiously

Answer

Report the score without comment

Answer

Double the raw score

Answer

Discard the entire protocol

Question 6

The Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI) combines which two indexes?

Accepted Answer

Working Memory and Processing Speed

Answer

VCI and PRI

Answer

VCI and WMI

Answer

PRI and PSI

Question 7

Base rate data in WAIS-IV interpretation is most useful for:

Accepted Answer

Determining how unusual a score discrepancy is in the population

Answer

Converting raw scores to scaled scores

Answer

Timing the subtests

Answer

Selecting which subtests to administer