Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1975, Vol. 43, No, 4, 591
Relative Efficacy of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Short Forms with Outpatients Jack D. Edinger and Peggy E. Norwood Virginia Commonwealth University Although the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) has proven a viable IQ measure, increasing demands for professional time have led to the search for less time-consuming instruments. Several investigators have suggested the use of WAIS short forms as estimates of the Full Scale IQ. While most research reveals rbspectable correlations between short-form and Full Scale IQs, the use of these short forms may be prohibited by their failure to meet other important criteria. Finch, Thornton, and Montgomery (1974) reported that various short forms failed to meet all three criteria for inpatients, as proposed by Resnick and Entin (1971): (a) Correlations between the short form and standard form should be significant, (b) t tests between the mean short and standard forms should be nonsignificant, and (c) the percentage of IQ classification change should not be so great as to preclude the effective use of the short form. Although these findings are discouraging, Finch et al. >(1974) reported that the Satz and Mogel (1962) short form seemed an accurate IQ estimate for black inpatients. Evidence supporting the viability of short forms for other populations is generally lacking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of various .WAIS short forms among outpatients. One hundred fifteen WAIS protocols were drawn from the files of the Psychological Services Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. These subjects (64 males, 51 females) represent all of the 1970 referrals who had been administered the full WAIS. The mean age was 21.81 years, and the mean Full Scale IQ was 115.69. All protocols were rescored for seven selected Reprints and an extended report of this study may be obtained without charge from Jack D. Edinger, Psychological Services Center, 800 West Franklin Street, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23220.
subtest and two selected items short forms. The nine forms were then compared statistically employing the Resnick and Entin (1971) criteria. While the correlations between the short-form and standard WAIS IQs were generally high, most of the estimates differed significantly from the Full Scale IQ as revealed by the t tests. The only nonsignificant t values were obtained in the comparisons involving the Satz and Mogel (1962) and Pauker (1963) forms for the males and the Pauker form for the females. The Satz and Mogel (1962) and the Pauker (1963) forms satisfied all three criteria for the males. Of the two, the Pauker form appeared the more efficacious by virtue of its low percentage (15%) of misclassification. For females, however, a 27% misclassification rate for this form would probably prohibit its use. While these results favor Pauker's (1963) short form, research has shown a decrease in correspondence between short-form and Full Scale scores when the short forms are administered separately. Thus, in employing the Pauker short form, the professional should be aware of this potential problem and exercise care in its use. REFERENCES Finch, A. J., Jr., Thornton, L. S., & Montgomery, L. E. WAIS short forms, with hospitalized psychiatric patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1974, 42, 469. Pauker, J. D. A split-half abbreviation of the WAIS. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1963, 19, 98-100. Resnick, R. D., & Entin, A. D. Is an abbreviated form of the WISC valid for Afro-American children? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1971, 36, 97-99. Satz, P., & Mogel, S. An abbreviation of the WAIS for clinical use. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 1962, 18, 77-79. (Received December 19, 1974)
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Relative Efficacy of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Short Forms with Outpatients Jack D. Edinger and Peggy E. Norwood Virginia Commonwealth University Although the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) has proven a viable IQ measure, increasing demands for professional time have led to the search for less time-consuming instruments. Several investigators have suggested the use of WAIS short forms as estimates of the Full Scale IQ. While most research reveals rbspectable correlations between short-form and Full Scale IQs, the use of these short forms may be prohibited by their failure to meet other important criteria. Finch, Thornton, and Montgomery (1974) reported that various short forms failed to meet all three criteria for inpatients, as proposed by Resnick and Entin (1971): (a) Correlations between the short form and standard form should be significant, (b) t tests between the mean short and standard forms should be nonsignificant, and (c) the percentage of IQ classification change should not be so great as to preclude the effective use of the short form. Although these findings are discouraging, Finch et al. >(1974) reported that the Satz and Mogel (1962) short form seemed an accurate IQ estimate for black inpatients. Evidence supporting the viability of short forms for other populations is generally lacking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of various .WAIS short forms among outpatients. One hundred fifteen WAIS protocols were drawn from the files of the Psychological Services Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. These subjects (64 males, 51 females) represent all of the 1970 referrals who had been administered the full WAIS. The mean age was 21.81 years, and the mean Full Scale IQ was 115.69. All protocols were rescored for seven selected Reprints and an extended report of this study may be obtained without charge from Jack D. Edinger, Psychological Services Center, 800 West Franklin Street, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23220.
subtest and two selected items short forms. The nine forms were then compared statistically employing the Resnick and Entin (1971) criteria. While the correlations between the short-form and standard WAIS IQs were generally high, most of the estimates differed significantly from the Full Scale IQ as revealed by the t tests. The only nonsignificant t values were obtained in the comparisons involving the Satz and Mogel (1962) and Pauker (1963) forms for the males and the Pauker form for the females. The Satz and Mogel (1962) and the Pauker (1963) forms satisfied all three criteria for the males. Of the two, the Pauker form appeared the more efficacious by virtue of its low percentage (15%) of misclassification. For females, however, a 27% misclassification rate for this form would probably prohibit its use. While these results favor Pauker's (1963) short form, research has shown a decrease in correspondence between short-form and Full Scale scores when the short forms are administered separately. Thus, in employing the Pauker short form, the professional should be aware of this potential problem and exercise care in its use. REFERENCES Finch, A. J., Jr., Thornton, L. S., & Montgomery, L. E. WAIS short forms, with hospitalized psychiatric patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1974, 42, 469. Pauker, J. D. A split-half abbreviation of the WAIS. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1963, 19, 98-100. Resnick, R. D., & Entin, A. D. Is an abbreviated form of the WISC valid for Afro-American children? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1971, 36, 97-99. Satz, P., & Mogel, S. An abbreviation of the WAIS for clinical use. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 1962, 18, 77-79. (Received December 19, 1974)
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