Cross-validation of predicted Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised scores in a normative sample of 25- to 34-year-old patients.

Equations for prorating Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised General Memory (GM) and Delayed Recall (DR) index scores ([Woodard and Axelrod, 1995]) were confirmed in the [Mittenberg et al. (1992)] normative WMS-R sample of 50 subjects between the ages of 25 and 34, and confirmed in a separate clinical sample of 30 patients with closed head injury who were age, education, and gender matched with 30 subjects from that normative sample. Predicted GM and DR index scores fell within 6 points of the obtained scores for 98% of the [Mittenberg et al. (1992)] sample and 93% to 100% of the matched head injury and normative samples, despite statistically significant differences between these groups in obtained GM, DR, and percent retention of LM I and II and VR I and II. Six points is well within the standard error of measurement of these index scores. These findings confirm the earlier cross-validation results reported by [Axelrod et al. (1996)] in a mixed sample of traumatic brain injury and other neurological insult, and suggest that this method of estimating weighted score sums for WMS-R General Memory and Delayed Recall indices may be safely used in normative samples of patients in this age range as well as neurologically compromised patients without significantly impacting index score accuracy.     

Wechsler memory scale is a poor screening test for brain dysfunction

The effectiveness of the Wechsler Memory Scale as a screening test for brain dysfuntion when used with “new” scoring procedures was assessed in this cross-validation study. The scoring procedures studied were those reported by Bachrach and Mintz (1974) and Kljajic (1975). In general, these procedures were found to be unreliable methods to separate brain dysfunctional patients from psychiatric patients. While the Wechsler Memory Scale may be a good test of short-term verbal memory, it samples too narrow a band of behaviors to be a reliable screening instrument of brain dysfunction in a large range of patients.     

MMPI-2 indices of psychological disturbance and attention and memory test performance in head injury

A number of studies have investigated the relationship between psychological disturbance and neuropsychological (NP) test performance. The current study is a replication and extension of who found that MMPI-2 indices of psychological disturbance are related to performance on NP tests of attention and memory in psychiatric and head-injured patients. In a large sample (N=381) referred for evaluation after sustaining presumed head injury, we examined the relationship between MMPI-2 indices of psychological disturbance and measures of attention and memory from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), and the Memory Assessment Scales (MAS). Although related to other domains, MMPI-2 variables were most consistently related to measures of attention and List Learning. Even when demographic variables, injury severity, and litigation status were controlled, MMPI-2 indices significantly predicted performance on six out of eight tests. However, the correspondence between similar indices on the WMS-R and MAS were relatively low, especially for Verbal Memory and Visual Reproduction. Further, litigation was significant in predicting only 2 of 8 attention and memory indices.     

Comparison of wechsler vs. mayo summary scores in a clinical sample

Normative bases for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) and the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) recently were extended through age 97 with the publication of norms that permit computation of MAYO IQs for the WAIS-R and MAYO Memory Indices for the WMS-R. This study compares traditional Wechsler summary scores with their corresponding MAYO values in a clinical sample. MAYO summary scores are correlated highly with traditional Wechsler values, and concordance rates are also strong. Despite their similarities MAYO summary scores and traditional Wechsler values are not interchangeable. Cautions are discussed relative to the use of both MAYO and traditional Wechsler IQs and Memory Indices.     

Administration duration for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III and Wechsler Memory Scale-III.

The administration times for each of the subtests from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) and Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III) were recorded for a clinical sample of 81 patients. The findings revealed that the time needed to administer the WAIS-III subtests to generate the summary scores, index scores, and both scores were 58, 51, and 65 min, respectively. The time required to complete the primary subtests on the WMS-III was 21, 15, and 6 min for Immediate Memory, General Memory, and Working Memory, respectively, resulting in a total administration time of 42 min. The time necessary to administer most of the subtests was unrelated to age, education, or performance level. These data demonstrate a shorter than expected administration time for the WAIS-III and a longer than anticipated administration for the WMS-III. Results for other clinical settings will be impacted by examiner familiarity and patient composition.     

Concurrent validity of the Luria-Nebraska memory scale

Investigated the concurrent validity of the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery (LNNB) Memory Scale using the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) as the criterion. For 32 psychiatric patients, the LNNB Memory Scale yielded a significant correlation with the WMS MQ, r (30) = −.65, p <.001. Moreover, there was a 72% agreement between the two scales with respect to the identification of memory impairment. Memory-impaired Ss earned a significantly higher (p <.01) mean T-score on the LNNB Memory Scale than did Ss without memory problems. It was concluded that the LNNB Memory Scale is an adequate measure of short-term memory.     

MMPI interpretation of psychiatric inpatients: caution in making inferences about concentration and memory.

The relation of specific MMPI scores to attention, concentration, and memory was assessed in an inpatient psychiatric sample diagnosed by DSM-III-R criteria as having schizophrenia, chronic undifferentiated type (n = 22); schizophrenia, paranoid type (n = 17); and schizoaffective disorder (n = 20). MMPI indices that are used widely to infer cognitive efficiency--including Scales 2 (Depression), 8 (Schizophrenia), SC-PT, D4 (Mental Dullness), SC2A (Lack of Ego Mastery, Cognitive), PSY (Psychoticism) and ORG (Organic Symptoms)--were investigated in relation to actual performance on Digit Span and subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS, Russell's Revision). Weak correlations emerged (maximum r = .31, p less than .05), which suggests that scores on these MMPI measures may not provide a reliable basis for inferring attention and memory functioning.     

Normative problems for the Wechsler Memory Scale-revised logical memory test when used in litigation.

A sample of 100 neuropsychologically normal worker's compensation claimants was evaluated with the Trail Making Test, the Logical Memory Test of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) (immediate and delayed) and the (MMPI) to determine the appropriateness of the Logical Memory norms for individuals in litigation. Results indicate these claimants performed below normal, possibly due to depression or poor motivation while age and education were not important factors. The danger of using such norms uncritically in litigation cases is discussed.     

Wechsler memory scale performance of elderly psychiatric patients

Examined the performance on the Wechsler Memory Scale of 50 elderly psychiatric patients with a functional illness and 50 with an organic brain syndrome. A significant separation of the two groups is observed, and the a-priori definition of abnormal memory impairment is found to be significantly associated with organic but not functional illness. It is concluded that the WMS is a useful test for this population despite its shortcomings in other areas.     

A confirmatory factor analysis of the WAIS-III in a clinical sample with crossvalidation in the standardization sample.

A maximum likelihood confirmatory factor analysis of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) was performed by applying LISREL 8 to a clinical sample (n=328). Analyses were designed to determine which of the nine hypothesized oblique factor solutions could best explain intelligence as measured by the WAIS-III in the general clinical sample. Competing latent variable models were identified in previous studies and a priori model modifications were made to test derivations of the nine base models. Results in the clinical sample were crossvalidated by testing all models in the normative sample used in the standardization of the scale. Findings in both the clinical and standardization samples supported a six-factor model including Semantic Memory, Verbal Reasoning, Constructional Praxis, Visual Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed factors. Our analysis differed from that presented in the WAIS-III manual as we tested more complex models of intelligence in addition to the ones evaluated by the test publishers. As a result, a six-factor model that corresponded to an expanded version of a model based on Horn's Gf-Gc theory was empirically supported as having the best fit to the data. More complex derivations of this model failed to achieve sufficient goodness of fit.     

The validity of the modified word learning test

Inspected reports on 59 psychiatric patients who had completed the Modified Word Learning Test (MWLT), Memory for Designs Test, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale in order to assess the validity of the MWLT. It was found that MWLT scores were correlated with age, Verbal Scale and Full Scale IQs and Verbal-Performance Discrepancies. In addition, there was 61% agreement in classification with the Memory for Designs Test. It was suggested tentatively that the MWLT may misclassify patients with low Verbal Scale IQs.     

Alternate forms of prose passages for the assessment of auditory-verbal memory.

Logical memory (LM) is the most frequently administered subtest from the Wechsler Memory Scale; however, the lack of alternate equivalent forms for this subtest may limit its clinical utility. Six new paragraphs modelled on LM stories were developed. Stories were matched on attributes such as number of words and readability. Passage attributes for the six stories were compared with those of standard LM stories (WMS-R and WMS-III versions) to examine story equivalence. The psychometric properties of new passages were also calculated to assess task difficulty and interrater reliability. Results from these analyses suggest a high degree of overlap between the attributes of the new stories and some interesting discrepancies between passage attributes of WMS-R and WMS-III LM stories. In addition, interrater reliability of new passages was found to be excellent (at least .97), and when combined into three sets of passage-pairs, these pairs were found have equivalent difficulty. To reduce the potential for practice effects by use of alternate forms, these new logical memory-style passages may facilitate repeat assessment of auditory-verbal memory.     

Base rates of WAIS-R VIQ-PIQ differences in 1593 psychiatric inpatients.

The purpose of this study was to provide the psychologist with base-rate tables for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) Verbal IQ-Performance IQ difference scores in 1593 psychiatric inpatients. Subtables also were provided for each of three primary psychiatric diagnoses (schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorders, and depression). The base rates of VIQ-PIQ splits in the full inpatient sample, and those for the subsamples based on primary psychiatric diagnosis, were very similar to those reported in the WAIS-R standardization sample. Consistent with past research on the standardization sample, the VIQ-PIQ split was correlated positively with Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), indicating that larger splits are more common at the higher IQ levels. Therefore, base-rate tables also were provided for the total inpatient sample split into five IQ groupings.     

Memory assessment using the Strub-Black Mental Status Examination and the Wechsler Memory Scale

A systematic mental status exam often can differentiate accurately patients with organic brain disease from normal persons and those with functional disorders. The present study attempts to validate the memory portion of the Strub-Black Mental Status Exam by comparing it to the Wechsler Memory Scale. Twenty-five brain-damaged and 25 routine medical patients were given Form I of the Wechsler Memory Scale and the memory portion of the Strub-Black Mental Status Exam at their hospital bedside. Results indicate significant differences in almost all scores between the brain-damaged and normal groups on both the Wechsler Memory Scale and Mental Status exam; the Mental Status Exam differentiated between groups at a higher level of significance of ANOVA and ANCOVA comparisons of total memory scores, as well as several subtests. In these samples, age, more than education, was an important factor that affected memory test performance. The Mental Status Examination appears valid for the differentiation of clinical samples and for the documentation of specific aspects of memory dysfunction in individual brain-damaged patients. This study represents a beginning step in providing normative data on components of the Strub-Black mental status examination.     

听觉词语记忆测验在中国老人中的试用分析

目的：编制适用于中国老人记忆评定的中文版听觉词语记忆测验（AVMT）。方法：100例正常老人和22例轻－中度Alzheimer病（AD）患者完成AVMT和简明精神状态量表,从正常老人样本中随机选择40例完成AVMT复测和韦氏记忆测验（WMS－RC）、韦氏智力测验中文修订版的知识和相似性2个分测验。结果：（1）AVMT一致性为0．99;3个月后复测相关性为0．87－0．94;AVMT历次记忆的相关性为0．66－0．94;（2）AVMT记忆和再认的相关因素为教育程度;（3）第3次回忆和“短延迟回忆”与WMS－RC总分的相关性比其余4次回忆的强;而“长延迟回忆”和语言智力分测验得分的相关性比其余5次回忆的强;（4）AD组记忆和再认得分显著低于正常对照组,尤以延迟回忆及其语义串联得分差异最大。结论：中文版听觉词语记忆测验具有较好的信度和效度。     

Exploratory factor analysis of the WAIS-III in a mixed patient sample.

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) was administered to 152 patients at a VA Medical Center. Means for age, education, and Full Scale IQ were 51.49 years (SD = 13.00), 12.43 years (SD = 2.00), and 92.61 (SD = 14.06), respectively. Of the 152 patients, 69 had substance abuse disorders, 39 had medical/neurological conditions, 27 had both substance abuse and psychiatric disorders, and 17 had psychiatric conditions. The 13 WAIS-III subtests were subjected to a principal-axis factor analysis with oblimin rotation. Four factors were specified to be retained. The Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, and Processing Speed factors were identical to those in the standardization sample. However, Arithmetic could not be allocated to any factor within the patient sample. The Working Memory factor consisted only of the Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing subtests. © 2000 National Academy of Neuropsychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd     

Relative importance of informational units and their role in long-term recall by closed-head-injured patients and control groups.

The purpose of this study was to apply qualitative analysis to the information recalled by control Ss and closed-head-injured (CHI) patients. The Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale (Wechsler, 1945) was administered to 40 CHI and 40 control Ss. Recall was tested immediately after administration, 40 min later, and 24 hr later. The analysis took into account the importance of recalled information as determined by a prior rating according to 3 levels of importance. Results suggest that CHI patients have difficulty selectively retrieving the most important information after a long delay.     

Diagnostic efficiency and material specificity of the Warrington Recognition Memory Test: a collaborative multisite investigation.

Two studies examined the Warrington Recognition Memory Test (RMT) discrepancy index (Words-Faces) in a large sample of patients heterogeneous with respect to age, education, gender, and neurological diagnosis. In Study 1 (N = 504) we used cutoffs from the Words-Faces discrepancy scores derived from Warrington's original validation sample to attempt to accurately classify patients with left, right, or diffuse brain damage. Sensitivity for left hemisphere patients (Faces > Words) was 10% with a specificity of 88%, whereas sensitivity for right hemisphere patients (Words > Faces) was 48% with a specificity of 86%. For patients with diffuse brain damage (Words = Faces) sensitivity was 69% and specificity was 38%. In Study 2 (N = 263), we examined the relationship between the Words-Faces discrepancy score and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R; Wechsler, 1981) Logical Memory and Visual Reproduction subtests. Contrary to predictions, patients with Words > Faces performed better on both WMS-R subtests; the Faces > Words discrepancy was not related to Visual Reproduction performance. Potential reasons for these negative findings are discussed, as well as cautions for future RMT discrepancy index use.     

Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised in closed head injury

This study was undertaken to determine the ability of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) to differentiate a group of closed head injury patients from a group of controls and determine how injury severity and attentional deficits are associated with WMS-R performance. The relationship of WMS-R performance to everyday memory also was assessed. The head injured group performed more poorly than controls on all five WMS-R indices and exhibited greater impairments on tasks that measure retention. In the original sample only the Visual Memory Index correlated with injury severity; in a larger sample, all four memory indices correlated modestly with injury severity. Patients who performed more poorly on the WMS-R also received poorer ratings on an independent assessment of everyday memory.     

Factor analysis of the WMS-R and the WAIS.

A principal components factor analysis of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) was performed on 133 patients referred for neuropsychological assessment al a university medical center. Six factors were selected according to the Scree test, percentage of variance extracted, and the meaningfulness of the factors. The factors were labelled as follows: Perceptual Organization, Verbal Comprehension, Attention/Concentration, Complex Verbal Memory, Verbal Paired-Associate Memory, and Visual Paired Associate Memory. The Figurai Memory and Visual Reproduction I & II failed to emerge as a factor separate from the Performance subtests of the WAIS. Two verbal memory factors were found apart from the Verbal subtests of the WAIS.