Intelligence and the Wechsler Scales

What does the WISC-V assess?

Broad intellectual functioning across Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory and Processing Speed, plus Full Scale IQ.

What age is the WISC-V for?

6 years to 16 years 11 months.

What are the main WISC-V subtests?

Similarities, Vocabulary, Block Design, Visual Puzzles, Matrix Reasoning, Figure Weights, Digit Span, Picture Span, Coding and Symbol Search, with additional supplemental subtests.

What is the main strength of the WISC-V?

It gives a detailed cognitive profile, not just one IQ score, so strengths and weaknesses across different domains can be identified.

What is a main weakness of the WISC-V?

It is relatively lengthy and performance can be affected by attention, fatigue, motivation, language, motor skills and anxiety.

What is Full Scale IQ (FSIQ)?

The FSIQ is the broadest overall estimate of intellectual functioning, combining performance across several cognitive domains. On the WISC-V, it is calculated from 7 subtests.

What are WISC-V Primary Index Scores?

Scores representing five specific areas of cognitive functioning. Each Primary Index is calculated from 2 core subtests.

What are the five WISC-V Primary Indexes?

• Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)

• Visual Spatial Index (VSI)

• Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI)

• Working Memory Index (WMI)

• Processing Speed Index (PSI)

What does the WASI-II assess?

An abbreviated estimate of general intellectual ability, especially Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Reasoning.

What age is the WASI-II for?

6 to 90 years.

What subtests are in the WASI-II?

Vocabulary, Similarities, Block Design and Matrix Reasoning.

What is the WASI-II FSIQ-2?

A quicker Full Scale estimate based only on Vocabulary and Matrix Reasoning.

Is the WASI-II related to theory?

Yes, but it is a broader abbreviated model than WISC-V. It mainly samples verbal/crystallised ability and non-verbal/perceptual-fluid reasoning.

Why choose WISC-V instead of WASI-II?

Choose WISC-V if the clinical question requires a detailed cognitive profile, not just an approximate IQ.

What does the WPPSI-IV assess?

Intellectual functioning in young children, including developmentally adapted measures of Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory and Processing Speed, depending on age.

What age is the WPPSI-IV for?

2 years 6 months to 7 years 7 months.

How are WPPSI-IV age groups divided?

2:6-3:11 and 4:0-7:7, reflecting rapid developmental changes in early childhood.

What is the WPPSI-IV protocol like?

Standardised one-to-one testing, but tasks are more child-friendly, colourful and game-like, with simplified instructions and reduced fine-motor demands.

What Working Memory tasks are used in the WPPSI-IV?

Picture Memory and Zoo Locations.

What Processing Speed tasks are used? wppsi

Bug Search, Animal Coding and Cancellation.

What Visual Spatial tasks are used? wppsi

Block Design and Object Assembly.

What Fluid Reasoning tasks are used? wppsi

Matrix Reasoning and Picture Concepts.

What is the main strength of the WPPSI-IV?

It is developmentally appropriate and reduces irrelevant demands from language, handwriting and fine-motor skills.

What is the main weakness of the WPPSI-IV?

Young children's scores can be strongly influenced by attention, fatigue, motivation, understanding of instructions and willingness to engage.

What does Raven's Progressive Matrices assess?

Mainly non-verbal abstract reasoning, pattern detection and fluid intelligence.

What versions are there? Matrices

Standard Progressive Matrices, Coloured Progressive Matrices and Advanced Progressive Matrices.

What age is the Coloured Progressive Matrices for?

Mainly children around 5-11 years.

What is the main strength of Raven's?

It minimises reliance on expressive language and acquired vocabulary.

What is the main weakness of Raven's?

It is sometimes treated as if it were completely culture-free, which it is not.

When would I choose Raven's?

When I want a language-reduced measure of reasoning, for example in a child with significant expressive-language difficulties.

What critical limitation applies to all four?

Task impurity - a test score reflects multiple cognitive and non-cognitive processes, so one low score cannot by itself prove a specific deficit.

WISC-V

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth Edition.

WPPSI-IV

Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - Fourth Edition.

WASI-II

Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence - Second Edition.

FSIQ

Full Scale Intelligence Quotient.

Which 7 subtests make up the WISC-V FSIQ?

Similarities, Vocabulary, Block Design, Matrix Reasoning, Figure Weights, Digit Span, Coding.

Which subtests make up the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)?

Similarities and Vocabulary.

Which subtests make up the Visual Spatial Index (VSI)?

Block Design and Visual Puzzles.

Which subtests make up the Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI)?

Matrix Reasoning and Figure Weights.

Which subtests make up the Working Memory Index (WMI)?

Digit Span and Picture Span.

Which subtests make up the Processing Speed Index (PSI)?

Coding and Symbol Search.