Wechsler Working Memory Index Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following cognitive abilities is primarily assessed by the Working Memory Index (WMI) on the Wechsler scales?
- Long-term retrieval of factual knowledge.
- The ability to temporarily hold and manipulate auditory and visual information. (Correct answer)
- The speed and accuracy of visual scanning and discrimination.
- Nonverbal fluid reasoning and problem-solving.
Correct answer: The ability to temporarily hold and manipulate auditory and visual information.
The Working Memory Index (WMI) is specifically designed to measure an individual's ability to register, maintain, and mentally manipulate information in immediate awareness. This involves both auditory and visual stimuli.
Question 2: An examiner administers the WISC-V to a 10-year-old child. The child obtains a significantly lower score on the Working Memory Index (WMI) compared to their Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Visual Spatial Index (VSI). This discrepancy most likely suggests the child may have difficulty with which of the following tasks?
- Understanding complex social cues.
- Defining vocabulary words.
- Assembling a block design from a model.
- Following multi-step instructions given orally. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Following multi-step instructions given orally.
A low WMI score often indicates challenges in holding and processing information. Difficulty with multi-step instructions is a classic real-world manifestation of poor working memory, as it requires remembering the steps while executing them.
Question 3: The core subtests that are typically used to derive the Working Memory Index (WMI) on the WISC-V are:
- Vocabulary and Similarities
- Block Design and Visual Puzzles
- Digit Span and Picture Span (Correct answer)
- Coding and Symbol Search
Correct answer: Digit Span and Picture Span
On the WISC-V, the Working Memory Index is calculated from the two primary subtests: Digit Span (auditory working memory) and Picture Span (visual working memory).
Question 4: A psychologist notes that an adult client's performance on the WAIS-IV is highly sensitive to anxiety, particularly on tasks requiring sustained concentration and mental manipulation. Which index score is most likely to be negatively affected by the client's anxiety?
- Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)
- Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI)
- Working Memory Index (WMI) (Correct answer)
- Processing Speed Index (PSI)
Correct answer: Working Memory Index (WMI)
The tasks within the Working Memory Index, such as Digit Span and Arithmetic, require significant attention, concentration, and mental control. These functions are known to be particularly susceptible to the effects of anxiety.
Question 5: Which statement accurately describes a key function measured by the Working Memory Index (WMI)?
- It measures the efficiency of retrieving information from long-term storage.
- It assesses the ability to generate creative, novel solutions to problems.
- It provides a pure measure of auditory processing, independent of attention.
- It evaluates cognitive flexibility and the ability to resequence information mentally. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: It evaluates cognitive flexibility and the ability to resequence information mentally.
A core component of working memory is not just holding information, but actively manipulating it. Subtests like Digit Span Sequencing and Letter-Number Sequencing directly require the examinee to mentally reorder and resequence the information presented.
Question 6: When interpreting the Wechsler scales, a significant discrepancy between the General Ability Index (GAI) and the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), where the GAI is significantly higher, often points to a relative weakness in which two areas?
- Verbal Comprehension and Visual Spatial reasoning
- Working Memory and Processing Speed (Correct answer)
- Fluid Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning
- Long-term memory and verbal expression
Correct answer: Working Memory and Processing Speed
The General Ability Index (GAI) is calculated from the Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual/Visual Spatial/Fluid Reasoning subtests. It is designed to be a measure of cognitive abilities that are less reliant on working memory and processing speed. Therefore, when the FSIQ (which includes all indices) is lower than the GAI, it suggests that weaknesses in Working Memory and/or Processing Speed are pulling the overall score down.
Wechsler Working Memory Index Questions and Answers 1
Which of the following cognitive abilities is primarily assessed by the Working Memory Index (WMI) on the Wechsler scales?