Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Fourth Edition (WAIS–IV)

Used as a general test the intelligence, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale –Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) was developed to assess cognitive ability for adults.  This instruments aids in examining the relationship between intellectual functional and memory.  A common purpose for the WAIS is for educational planning and placement with older adolescents and adults.

The test includes 11 subtests with various types of format.  Approximately 60 to 90 minutes is required for completion.

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Author

David Wechsler

Reliability and Validity

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence is a well-established scale and it has fairly high consistency.  Over a two to twelve week time period, the test-retest reliabilities ranged from 0.70 (7 subscales) to 0.90 (2 subscales).  Inter-scorer coefficients were very high, all being above 0.90.  According to the test manual, the instrument targets three are – psychoeducational disability, neuropsychiatic and organic dysfunction, and giftedness.  The WAIS correlated highly with the Stanford-Binet IV test (0.88) and had high concordance with various measures:  memory, language, dexterity, motor speed, attention, and cognitive ability.

Obtaining the WAIS-IV

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Administration, Analysis and Reporting

Statistics Solutions consists of a team of professional methodologists and statisticians that can assist the student or professional researcher in administering the survey instrument, collecting the data, conducting the analyses and explaining the results.

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Dissertations Using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

Below is a list of dissertations that use the WAIS-IV.  The full version of these dissertations can be found using ProQuest.

Hershberger, K. A. (1997). The relationship between conceptually similar subtests of the wechsler adult intelligence scale-revised and the career ability placement survey with a vocational rehabilitation sample. University of Cincinnati).

Meyer, M. P. (2000). Use of the wechsler abbreviated scale of intelligence in a vocational rehabilitation sample. University of Cincinnati).

References

Cohen, J. (1957a). The factorial structure of the WAIS between early adulthood and old age. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, 283-290.

Cohen, J. (1957b). A factor-analytically based rationale for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, 451-457.
Matarazzo, J. D. (1972). Wechsler’s measurement and appraisal of adult intelligence (5th ed.). Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins.

Review of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition by Allen K. Hess.  Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, AL.

Review of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition by Bruce G. Rogers, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA.

Royston, P. & Altman, D. G. (1994). Regression using fractional polynomials of continuous covariates: Parsimonious parametric modeling. Applied Statistics, 43, 429–467.

Taylor, M. J. & Heaton, R. K. (2001). Sensitivity and specificity of WAIS–III / WMS–III demographically corrected factor scores in neuropsychological assessment. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 7, 867–874.

Traxler, A. E., Jacobs, R., Selover, M., & Townsend, A. (1953). Introduction to testing and the use of test results in public schools. New York: Harper & Brothers. View

Tulsky, D. S., Ivnik, R. J., Price, L. R. & Wilkens, C. (2003). Assessment of Cognitive Functioning with the WAIS–III and WMS–III: Development of a Six-Factor Model. In D. S. Tulsky et al., (Eds.) Clinical Interpretation of the WAIS–III and WMS–III. San Diego: Academic Press.

Wechsler, David (1939). The measurement of adult intelligence. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins. p. 229

Journals

Ryan, J. Joseph; Sattler, M. Jerome; Lopez, J. Shane (2000).  Age Effects on Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III Subtests.  Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, Vol. 15, Issue 4, 311-317.

Smith, R. Spence (1983).  A Comparison Study of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised in a College Population.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, v51, n3, p414-19.