A cautionary note on deviation scores for the WISC-III and WAIS-III

✍ Scribed by Richard A. Charter

• Book ID: 102306895
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 54 KB
• Volume: 59
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9762
• DOI: 10.1002/jclp.10172

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

This article highlights some dangers inherent in interpreting individual examinee strengths and weaknesses in WAIS‐III and WISC‐III profiles. In both manuals, there are tables providing point estimates for determining if a significant difference exists when comparing one subtest to the average of several subtests. However, these point estimates may lead to interpretation errors. A confidence interval approach that provides a solution to the interpretation problem is described and illustrated. These intervals show that differences between a single subtest score and the average subtest score that just reach statistical significance carry the potential of having no clinical significance. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.