Wechsler Test Cognitive Assessment in Special Populations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When assessing a deaf examinee who communicates via sign language, which Wechsler index is most appropriate to emphasize?
- Verbal Comprehension Index
- Perceptual Reasoning Index (Correct answer)
- Auditory Working Memory Index
- Reading composite
Correct answer: Perceptual Reasoning Index
Nonverbal/perceptual reasoning subtests reduce reliance on auditory language and better reflect ability in deaf examinees.
Question 2: A child with cerebral palsy has impaired motor control. Which adaptation best preserves test validity?
- Score motor-based subtests as failures
- Use subtests with reduced motor demands and report a modified profile (Correct answer)
- Administer timed subtests at double speed
- Skip the entire assessment
Correct answer: Use subtests with reduced motor demands and report a modified profile
Selecting low-motor subtests and documenting modifications yields a fairer estimate of cognitive ability.
Question 3: For an examinee with English as a second language, a low Verbal Comprehension score may reflect:
- True low intelligence only
- Limited English proficiency rather than reasoning ability (Correct answer)
- Perfect acculturation
- A scoring error guaranteed
Correct answer: Limited English proficiency rather than reasoning ability
Language and acculturation can depress verbal scores independent of underlying cognitive ability.
Question 4: Which practice is recommended when assessing an examinee with a visual impairment?
- Rely on Block Design results
- Emphasize verbally administered subtests and avoid visual stimuli (Correct answer)
- Increase time limits on visual tasks only
- Use standard visual norms
Correct answer: Emphasize verbally administered subtests and avoid visual stimuli
Verbal subtests that do not require sight provide a more valid estimate for visually impaired examinees.
Question 5: A psychologist suspects a 'floor effect' in a child with intellectual disability. This means:
- Scores cluster at the top of the range
- The test cannot discriminate among very low abilities (Correct answer)
- The ceiling was reached early
- Practice effects inflated scores
Correct answer: The test cannot discriminate among very low abilities
A floor effect occurs when many items are too hard, so the test fails to differentiate low-ability levels.
Question 6: When testing an elderly examinee with suspected dementia, processing speed subtests are valuable because they:
- Are unaffected by age
- Are sensitive to cognitive slowing common in neurodegenerative decline (Correct answer)
- Measure vocabulary only
- Cannot be timed
- Require reading
Correct answer: Are sensitive to cognitive slowing common in neurodegenerative decline
Processing speed often declines early in dementia, making these subtests sensitive markers.
Question 7: Best practice for any nonstandard administration with a special population is to:
- Report scores as fully standardized
- Clearly document deviations and interpret scores with caution (Correct answer)
- Discard all data
- Use a different test brand without noting it
Correct answer: Clearly document deviations and interpret scores with caution
Documenting modifications and qualifying interpretation maintains ethical and valid reporting.
Wechsler Test Cognitive Assessment in Special Populations 2
When assessing a deaf examinee who communicates via sign language, which Wechsler index is most appropriate to emphasize?