Wechsler Test Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV) Clinical Applications 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which WAIS-IV subtest is a supplemental measure that can substitute for Digit Span when assessing working memory?
- Arithmetic (Correct answer)
- Coding
- Vocabulary
- Block Design
Correct answer: Arithmetic
Arithmetic is a Working Memory subtest that can substitute for Digit Span under permitted conditions.
Question 2: A clinician assessing an older adult wants to reduce the impact of motor slowing on the IQ estimate. Which approach is most appropriate?
- Emphasize Processing Speed subtests
- Consider the General Ability Index (Correct answer)
- Administer only timed subtests
- Report only the Full Scale IQ
Correct answer: Consider the General Ability Index
The GAI de-emphasizes speed-dependent subtests, giving a fairer ability estimate for those with motor slowing.
Question 3: The 'testing the limits' procedure in WAIS-IV clinical practice is best used to:
- Generate additional scored data for the FSIQ
- Explore qualitatively why a patient failed items after standard administration ends (Correct answer)
- Shorten the test
- Replace normative interpretation
Correct answer: Explore qualitatively why a patient failed items after standard administration ends
Testing the limits is a post-standardization, qualitative exploration and does not alter official scores.
Question 4: Which subtest primarily measures fluid reasoning through pattern completion of a matrix?
- Matrix Reasoning (Correct answer)
- Similarities
- Digit Span
- Information
Correct answer: Matrix Reasoning
Matrix Reasoning assesses fluid, nonverbal reasoning via visual pattern completion.
Question 5: In interpreting WAIS-IV results for a bilingual patient tested in their non-dominant language, the clinician should:
- Treat verbal scores as fully valid
- Interpret verbal scores cautiously as they may underestimate ability (Correct answer)
- Only report Processing Speed
- Refuse to test entirely
Correct answer: Interpret verbal scores cautiously as they may underestimate ability
Verbal subtests may underrepresent true ability when testing occurs in a non-dominant language.
Question 6: A significant strength on Vocabulary and Information but weakness on Matrix Reasoning and Block Design suggests:
- Stronger crystallized than fluid abilities (Correct answer)
- Stronger fluid than crystallized abilities
- Uniform ability across domains
- A Processing Speed deficit only
Correct answer: Stronger crystallized than fluid abilities
Vocabulary and Information tap crystallized knowledge, while the reasoning subtests tap fluid ability.
Question 7: The most defensible clinical practice when a Full Scale IQ falls on a diagnostic cutoff is to:
- Ignore the confidence interval
- Report the confidence interval and consider measurement error (Correct answer)
- Round up automatically
- Use only the highest subtest score
Correct answer: Report the confidence interval and consider measurement error
Confidence intervals account for measurement error and are essential near diagnostic thresholds.
Wechsler Test Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV) Clinical Applications 3
Which WAIS-IV subtest is a supplemental measure that can substitute for Digit Span when assessing working memory?