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Objectives: This study examined the factorial invariance of the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V) across the UK, US and Australia & New Zealand (A&NZ). The factorial equivalence of cognitive assessments should be demonstrated before assuming cross-culture generalizability and interpretations of score comparisons., Methods: Data were obtained from the UK, US and A&NZ normative standardizations of the WISC-V. The samples consisted of 415 UK, 2200 US and 528 A&NZ children, aged 6-16. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied separately in each sample to establish the baseline model. Next, tests of factorial invariance were undertaken using the recommended hierarchical approach, firstly across the UK and A&NZ samples and then across the UK and US samples., Results: The five-factor first-order scoring model was found to be excellent fit across all three samples independently. Strict factorial invariance of the WISC-V was demonstrated firstly across the UK and A&NZ and secondly the UK and US nationally representative standardization samples. Comparison of latent means found small but significant differences in female children across the UK and A&NZ samples., Conclusions: Consistent with previous research, these results demonstrate the generality of the WISC-V factor structure across the UK, US and A&NZ. Furthermore, as the WISC-V factor structure aligns with the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model of cognitive abilities, the results add further support to the cross-cultural generalizability of the CHC model. Small but significant differences in latent factor scores found across samples support the development and use of local normative data., (© 2024 The Author(s). British Journal of Clinical Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.)

Background: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (LBC1936) is a highly phenotyped longitudinal study of cognitive and brain ageing. Given its substantial clinical importance, we derived an indicator of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and amnestic and nonamnestic subtypes at 3 time points., Methods: MCI status was derived at 3 waves of the LBC1936 at ages 76 (n=567), 79 (n=441), and 82 years (n=341). A general MCI category was derived as well as amnestic MCI (aMCI) and nonamnestic MCI (naMCI). A comparison was made between MCI derivations using normative data from the LBC1936 cohort versus the general UK population., Results: MCI rates showed a proportional increase at each wave between 76 and 82 years from 15% to 18%. Rates of MCI subtypes also showed a proportional increase over time: aMCI 4% to 6%; naMCI 12% to 16%. Higher rates of MCI were found when using the LBC1936 normative data to derive MCI classification rather than UK-wide norms., Conclusions: We found that MCI and aMCI rates in the LBC1936 were consistent with previous research. However, naMCI rates were higher than expected. Future LBC1936 research should assess the predictive factors associated with MCI prevalence to validate previous findings and identify novel risk factors., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

This study aimed to assess the neurocognitive outcomes and their diffusion tensor imaging correlates in children (aged 6-16 years) with mild traumatic brain injury. This prospective analysis included 74 children with mild traumatic brain injury (52 boys; mean age: 9.5 [±2.7] years). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Indian adaptation (WISC-IV), Child Behavior Checklist, and Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire were administered for 57 cases (at 3 months postinjury) and 51 controls of similar age. The findings of diffusion tensor imaging (done within 7 days of injury) were correlated with various WISC-IV indices. The presenting features at the time of injury were loss of consciousness (53%), confusion or disorientation (47%), and post-traumatic amnesia (10%). Other features in the acute phase included drowsiness (86%), headache (78%), balance problems (62%), nausea (47%), fatigue (45%), vomiting (35%), nasal or ear bleed (12%), sensitivity to sound and light (12%), etc. At 3 months postinjury, the children with mild traumatic brain injury performed poorly in terms of Intelligence Quotient, perceptual reasoning index, and processing speed index as compared to controls. Based on the Child Behavior Checklist, 17% of children with mild traumatic brain injury had internalizing behavioral problems in comparison with 4% of controls. Prevalence of poor sleepers in the mild traumatic brain injury cohort and controls was 12.3% and 2% respectively. Headache, reduced attention span, and fatigue were common postconcussion symptoms. There was a positive correlation between right uncinate fasciculus fractional anisotropy and verbal comprehension index ( r = 0.32; P < .05).

The present study took advantage of data collected on more than 2100 Italian adult and elderly individuals during the standardization of the WAIS-IV to examine the relationship between working memory (WM) components and intelligence, and how age affects this relationship. Administering the WAIS-IV enabled us to obtain five different measures for assessing different aspects of WM, and a measure of General Ability (GA) strongly loading on the g-factor. The main results were as follows: (1) age-related impairments in WM are substantial, and they are partly similar and partly different for the various WM measures; (2) the relationship between the WM measures and the General Ability Index (GAI) varies, becoming stronger when the active control required by the WM task is higher; (3) comparing the WM-GAI relationships between different age groups reveals some similar patterns, as well as some specific effects that depend on the WM task considered.

Interpretive strategies for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) include Wechsler's four-factor structure and the five-factor Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model. The frequency of profile occurrence and the contribution of demographic- and ability-related variables to their incidence are unknown. Current participants were 291 referrals (males = 134; female = 157) for neuropsychological evaluation with mean years for age and education of 34.94 ( SD  = 13.53) and 12.74 ( SD  = 2.46), respectively. Lichtenberger and Kaufman's guidelines for selecting each model were applied. Of the total, 67.3% were four-factor and 32.6% were five-factor profiles. The same pattern emerged when participants were subdivided by gender, education, ethnicity, IQ, and diagnosis. A noteworthy association between IQ and profile type emerged. When IQ increased, four-factor profiles declined and five-factors increased. A logistic regression, using demographics, IQ, and diagnosis as predictors, correctly classified 64.8% of participants. The average subtest intercorrelations and g saturations in the four-factor group were substantially larger than those for five-factor participants. These findings were consistent with Spearman's differentiation by ability hypothesis.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a widely prevalent disorder that can affect cognitive function. The relationship between cognitive function and OSA is known to be affected by an individual's premorbid cognitive ability. Tools to measure premorbid intelligence across OSA disease severity have not been validated. This brief report aims to establish if the National Adult Reading Test (NART) provides a stable estimate of premorbid intelligence across levels of OSA disease severity. We examined if NART scores varied systematically across levels of untreated OSA severity (defined according to the apnea-hypopnea index [AHI]) and mean oxygen saturation in sleep clinic (n = 121) and community samples (n = 398) using regression analysis. Simple linear regression was used to predict NART scores based on the AHI. NART-estimated premorbid IQ scores without demographics did not vary systematically with AHI (F < 1; β = 0.01) or mean SpO 2 (F < 1; β = 0.12). NART-estimated premorbid IQ scores with added demographic information also did not vary systematically with AHI (F < 1; β = -0.01) or mean SpO 2 (F < 1; β = 0.15). This preliminary examination shows that the NART provides a stable estimate of premorbid intelligence across untreated OSA disease severity, as demarcated by AHI or mean nocturnal SpO 2 ., (© 2019 European Sleep Research Society.)

International comparisons of IQ test norms show differences between nations. In the present study, nonverbal reasoning, processing speed and working memory subtest scores of the US, German, French, Finnish, and Scandinavian (combined Swedish-Norwegian-Danish sample) WAIS IV standardization samples were compared. The European samples had higher scores on the reasoning subtests compared to the American sample, corroborating earlier studies. The Finnish and Scandinavian samples had lower processing speed and working memory scores than the American, German, and French samples. Mechanisms that may underlie the observed national IQ profiles include: (1) test-taking attitudes-in tests that require balancing speed and accuracy of performance Americans may prioritize fast performance while Europeans avoid mistakes; (2) differences between languages in digit articulation times; and (3) educational factors-the European advantage on reasoning subtests may be based on there being better educational systems in Europe as compared to the US., (© 2019 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: Cognitive development during adolescence affects health long term. We investigated whether level of and change in language-based cognition during adolescence are associated with cognitive performance in midlife., Methods: Participants were enrolled in the Child Health and Development Study and followed during midlife (47-52 years). Adolescent cognition was measured with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test at ages 9-11 years (PPVT-9) and 15-17 years (PPVT-15). We examined PPVT-9, as well as a PPVT change score (derived using the standardized regression-based method) in relation to midlife cognition measures of Wechsler Test of Adult Reading, Verbal Fluency, and Digit Symbol tests. Linear regression models were adjusted for childhood socioeconomic status, age, sex, race, and midlife marital status, education, and occupational score., Results: In 357 participants (52.1% female, 25.6% African American), both PPVT-9 (β [95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.26 [0.18, 0.34]) and PPVT change score (β [95% CI] = 2.03 [1.27, 2.80]) were associated with Wechsler Test of Adult Reading at midlife. PPVT-9 was associated with midlife Verbal Fluency (β [95% CI] = 0.18 [0.10, 0.25]), whereas PPVT change score was not (β [95% CI] = -0.01 [-0.68, 0.67]). Neither PPVT-9 nor PPVT change score was associated with midlife Digit Symbol., Conclusions: Both level of and change in language-based cognition during adolescence were associated with midlife vocabulary and language function, even after controlling for midlife occupation and education., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The literature refers to high rates of occupational failure in the population of adults with ADHD. The explanation for this is less known. The aim of the present study was to examine associations between social characteristics and clinical features of adults with ADHD and their occupational outcome. Out of 1050 patients diagnosed with ADHD in a specialized outpatient clinic between 2005 and 2017, 813 (77.4%) agreed to participate in the study. ADHD was diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria, and ADHD subtypes recorded accordingly. Lifetime depression was diagnosed using the specific module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Occupational status and other social characteristics like marital status and living with children were recorded. Intelligence (IQ) and symptom severity of ADHD (ASRS score) were assessed in subsamples of participants (n = 526 and n = 567, respectively). In this sample of adults with ADHD (mean age 36.9 years, 48.5% women), 55.3% of the women and 63.7% of the men were working at the time of inclusion. Work participation was associated with being male, being married or cohabitant, or living with children, as well as a life story without major depression. Age, education, ADHD subtype, and ADHD symptom severity were not significantly associated with work participation. Neither was IQ when adjusted for other covariates. Occupational outcome in adults with ADHD appears to be more associated with social characteristics and a history of depression, rather than with IQ, ADHD subtype, or ADHD symptom severity.

Children who grow up in neighborhoods with more green vegetation show enhanced cognitive development in specific domains over short timespans. However, it is unknown if neighborhood greenery per se is uniquely predictive of children's overall cognitive development measured across many years. The E-Risk Longitudinal Study, a nationally representative 1994-5 birth-cohort of children in Britain (n = 1658 urban and suburban-dwelling participants), was used to test whether residential neighborhood greenery uniquely predicts children's cognitive development across childhood and adolescence. Greenery exposure was assessed from ages 5 to 18 using the satellite imagery-based normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in 1-mile buffers around the home. Fluid and crystalized intellectual performance was assessed in the home at ages 5, 12, and 18 using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, and executive function, working memory, and attention ability were assessed in the home at age 18 using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Children living in residences surrounded by more neighborhood greenery scored significantly higher, on average, on IQ measures at all ages. However, the association between greenery and cognitive measures did not hold after accounting for family or neighborhood socioeconomic status. After adjustment for study covariates, child greenery exposure was not a significant predictor of longitudinal increases in IQ across childhood and adolescence or of executive function, working memory, or attention ability at age 18. Children raised in greener neighborhoods exhibit better overall cognitive ability, but the association is likely accounted for by family and neighborhood socioeconomic factors., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The Boston Naming Test (BNT) is one of the most commonly used naming measures in neuropsychology. Although research in the older adult population has shown that African-American (AA) adults perform more poorly on the BNT than non-Hispanic White American (WA) adults, these findings have yet to be replicated in younger adults. The BNT and measures of word reading (WJ-Letter Word ID) and vocabulary (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence Vocabulary) were administered to 50 WA and 33 AA young adults. Performance was age-normed based on published norms and transformed into z-scores. Despite being matched on age, gender, SES, and level of education, the AA group performed more poorly on the BNT (z = - 1.01(1.09)) than the WA group (z = - .28(.92)), t(104) = 3.44, p < .01, d = 0.73. AAs (18%) were more likely to perform in the impaired range than WAs (4%) when impairment cutoff was z-score≤ - 2. Healthy AA young adults are more likely to perform poorly on the BNT despite vocabulary and word reading being well within normal limits. Average BNT performance in both groups were at least one z-score lower than average vocabulary z-scores. Clinicians should interpret poor scores on the BNT with caution, and within the context of individual vocabulary or word reading performance.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of tianeptine as an adjunctive maintenance treatment for bipolar depression., Methods: This is a multicenter double-blind randomized placebo-controlled maintenance trial of adjunctive tianeptine 37.5 mg/day. Participants ( n=161) had a Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale ⩾12 at entry. After eight weeks of open-label tianeptine treatment, those who responded to tianeptine ( n=69) were randomized to adjunctive tianeptine ( n=36) or placebo ( n=33) in addition to usual treatment. Kaplan-Meier estimates and the Mantel-Cox log-rank test were used to evaluate differences in time to intervention for a mood episode between the tianeptine and placebo groups. We also assessed overall functioning, biological rhythms, quality of life, rates of manic switch and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels., Results: There were no differences between adjunctive tianeptine or placebo regarding time to intervention or depression scores in the 24-week double-blind controlled phase. Patients in the tianeptine group showed better performance in the letter-number sequencing subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale at the endpoint ( p=0.014). Tianeptine was well tolerated and not associated with higher risk for manic switch compared to placebo., Conclusion: Tianeptine was not more effective than placebo in the maintenance treatment of bipolar depression. There is preliminary evidence suggesting a pro-cognitive effect of tianeptine in working memory compared to placebo.

Background: In laboratory animals, exposure to most general anaesthetics leads to neurotoxicity manifested by neuronal cell death and abnormal behaviour and cognition. Some large human cohort studies have shown an association between general anaesthesia at a young age and subsequent neurodevelopmental deficits, but these studies are prone to bias. Others have found no evidence for an association. We aimed to establish whether general anaesthesia in early infancy affects neurodevelopmental outcomes., Methods: In this international, assessor-masked, equivalence, randomised, controlled trial conducted at 28 hospitals in Australia, Italy, the USA, the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, we recruited infants of less than 60 weeks' postmenstrual age who were born at more than 26 weeks' gestation and were undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy, without previous exposure to general anaesthesia or risk factors for neurological injury. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) by use of a web-based randomisation service to receive either awake-regional anaesthetic or sevoflurane-based general anaesthetic. Anaesthetists were aware of group allocation, but individuals administering the neurodevelopmental assessments were not. Parents were informed of their infants group allocation upon request, but were told to mask this information from assessors. The primary outcome measure was full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, third edition (WPPSI-III), at 5 years of age. The primary analysis was done on a per-protocol basis, adjusted for gestational age at birth and country, with multiple imputation used to account for missing data. An intention-to-treat analysis was also done. A difference in means of 5 points was predefined as the clinical equivalence margin. This completed trial is registered with ANZCTR, number ACTRN12606000441516, and ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00756600., Findings: Between Feb 9, 2007, and Jan 31, 2013, 4023 infants were screened and 722 were randomly allocated: 363 (50%) to the awake-regional anaesthesia group and 359 (50%) to the general anaesthesia group. There were 74 protocol violations in the awake-regional anaesthesia group and two in the general anaesthesia group. Primary outcome data for the per-protocol analysis were obtained from 205 children in the awake-regional anaesthesia group and 242 in the general anaesthesia group. The median duration of general anaesthesia was 54 min (IQR 41-70). The mean FSIQ score was 99·08 (SD 18·35) in the awake-regional anaesthesia group and 98·97 (19·66) in the general anaesthesia group, with a difference in means (awake-regional anaesthesia minus general anaesthesia) of 0·23 (95% CI -2·59 to 3·06), providing strong evidence of equivalence. The results of the intention-to-treat analysis were similar to those of the per-protocol analysis., Interpretation: Slightly less than 1 h of general anaesthesia in early infancy does not alter neurodevelopmental outcome at age 5 years compared with awake-regional anaesthesia in a predominantly male study population., Funding: US National Institutes of Health, US Food and Drug Administration, Thrasher Research Fund, Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, Health Technologies Assessment-National Institute for Health Research (UK), Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Anesthesiologists Society, Pfizer Canada, Italian Ministry of Health, Fonds NutsOhra, UK Clinical Research Network, Perth Children's Hospital Foundation, the Stan Perron Charitable Trust, and the Callahan Estate., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Healthcare for poor children, also known as Medicaid, is disproportionately relied upon by citizens of poor states such as New Mexico, where (a) there are more unintended pregnancies, (b) domestic violence during and after pregnancies occurs with regularity, (c) youth substance use is much more common, (d) crime rates are some of the worst in the country, (e) many never graduate from high school, and (f) incarceration is often inevitable. Yet, there is a dearth of research into the neuropsychological health of these children. Meanwhile, nonneuropsychologists working for managed care organizations routinely deny authorization for neuropsychological testing based on a lack of medical necessity. The present article addresses the question of neuropsychological medical necessity using community-based neuropsychological data from New Mexico collected on Medicaid and non-Medicaid youth via retroactive chart review. Downstream fiscal implications that are related to the eventual cost of mental illness and crime among those with poor neuropsychological health are discussed.

Background: Unintended pregnancy is a major public health problem with known risk factors, however, little is known about the prevalence of variables associated with recurrent unintended pregnancy (RUP) among young, unmarried women., Methods: A retrospective cohort study of unmarried women aged 18-21 serving in the Israeli military between 2013 and 2015. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between RUP and women's education, IQ, immigration status, country of origin, socioeconomic status and history of psychiatric illness., Results: Of 129,638 women drafted by the Israeli military during the study period, 1720 women with unintended pregnancies had a follow up period of at least a year. Three hundred and eighty-nine of them had RUP (22.6%). Multivariable models comparing women with no unintended pregnancies and women with RUP revealed that RUP was more common among (adjusted relative risk; 95% confidence interval) women who had not graduated from high school (6.9; 4.99-9.55), who had low (90-99) IQ scores (3.9; 2.88-5.39) those reporting Africa as the country of origin (2.5; 1.37-4.59) and those from a lower socioeconomic neighborhood (1.6; 1.18-2.05). Multivariate regression modeling comparing women with single unintended pregnancies and women with RUPs showed that recurrent unintended pregnancy was more common among women who had not graduated from high school (3.2; 2.04-4.84) and those who had a low (90-99) IQ score (1.9; 1.32-2.61)., Conclusion: Rate of RUP is high among women serving in the Israeli military. These women have unique epidemiological characteristics. This may serve in identifying populations at high risk and thus may enable policy maker to offer at least to this population Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) methods. We encourage policy makers to consider the provision of LARC methods to all servicewomen who had an unintended pregnancy.

Identifying change at the individual level is an important goal for researchers, educators, and clinicians. We present a set of statistical procedures for identifying individuals who depart from a normative change. Using Latent Change Scores models (LCS), we illustrate how the Individual Likelihood computed from a statistical model for change (IL) and from an alternative unrestricted model (ILsat) can be used to identify atypical trajectories in situations with several measurement occasions. Using LCS and linear regression, we also show how the observed and latent change residuals can be used to identify atypical individual change between 2 measurement occasions. We apply these methods to a measure of general verbal ability (from WISC-R), from a large sample of individuals assessed every 2 years from Grade 1 to 9. We demonstrate the efficiency of these techniques, illustrate their use to identify individual change in longitudinal data, and discuss potential applications in developmental research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between symptom and functional improvement and remission in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) enrolled in an 11-week open-label dose-optimization phase of an methylphenidate extended release (MPH-MLR) pivotal study., Methods: Assessments included the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale-Parent (WFIRS-P) and ADHD Rating Scale, Fourth Edition (ADHD-RS-IV). Definitions included the following: symptom improvement (≥30% decrease in ADHD-RS-IV total score); symptom remission (ADHD-RS-IV total score ≤18); functional improvement (decrease in WFIRS-P total score ≥0.25 [minimally important difference]); and functional remission (WFIRS-P total score ≤0.65)., Results: Two hundred children completed the open-label phase. At initial assessment, functional impairment was evident across all WFIRS-P domains and similar between children and adolescents. Those who were treatment naive had more functional impairment (WFIRS-P total: 0.82 vs. 0.70, p = 0.02). Significant improvements in all WFIRS-P domains were noted at open-label end (p < 0.001), with the largest improvement in Learning. At open-label end, 94% of children and adolescents demonstrated symptom improvement, of which 57% also showed functional improvement, and 75% of children and adolescents showed symptom remission, of which 81% also showed functional remission., Conclusions: Children and adolescents treated with MPH-MLR showed moderate-to-large improvement in functioning during 3 months of treatment, both overall and in specific domains. However, a significant number of those who would be considered symptomatic responders failed to show improvement in functioning or continue to have significant functional impairment. Treatment with MPH-MLR showed that both symptomatic and functional remission are achievable goals. Identification of children and adolescents who have been successfully treated for their symptoms, but continue to suffer functional impairment, will allow us to offer additional targeted treatment interventions over and above medication to address residual difficulties.

Background: 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is a genetic condition associated with a highly variable phenotypic expression. During childhood speech and language deficits are commonly observed. Findings of cross-sectional studies suggest syndrome-specific and changing language profiles, but a longitudinal approach to identify developmental changes is still lacking to date., Aims: The present study aimed to delineate language characteristics and trajectories by comparing the performance of Dutch-speaking school-aged children with 22q11.2DS (n = 18) to those of peers with idiopathic intellectual disability (IID, n  = 19) and to those of children with IID and comorbid autism spectrum disorder (IID + ASD, n = 23). The literature shows contradictory findings regarding language comprehension difficulties in children with 22q11.2DS, we focused on the receptive-expressive language discrepancy. Given their relative strength for verbal short-term memory (VSTM) tasks, a fine-grained error categorization was included to elucidate a possible influence of VSTM on the expressive language outcomes. Finally, we suggested that the inability of children with 22q11.2DS to use contextual information could interfere with morphosyntactic measures., Methods: All groups (22q11.2DS, IID, and IID + ASD) were matched for nonverbal fluid reasoning (Gf) using the Analogies and Categories subtests of the Snijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test or the Matrix Reasoning and Picture Concepts subtests of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. Several structural language skills were measured using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. The same instruments were re-administered after 18 to 24 months. A fine-grained error analysis of the Formulating and Recalling Sentences subtests, both measuring expressive syntax, explored factors contributing to expressive language deficits., Results: In children with 22q11.2DS the relative advantage of receptive over expressive language had decreased compared to children with IID. For children with 22q11.2DS, complex sentence comprehension remained very challenging over time. Expressive language skills seemed less limited compared to children with IID, and were accompanied by less VSTM difficulties. In children with 22q11.2DS and children with IID + ASD, variable patterns of strengths and weaknesses were demonstrated, resulting in subtle differences between these groups. Error analyses indicated disregard of content-contextual cues and use of vague and elliptic language as being typical for children with 22q11.2DS., Conclusions: We recommend that in children with 22q11.2DS the impact of the receptive language impairment should be comprehensively examined and followed-up since it can have a negative effect on their social communication skills, adaptive functioning and academic achievement. Error analysis underscores that multiple measures should be used to evaluate the child's expressive language ability. Further research should focus on developmental trajectories of social communication skills and on the use of intervention strategies to improve language comprehension and pragmatics in school-aged children with 22q11.2DS., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Individuals with Down syndrome generally show a floor effect on Wechsler Scales that is manifested by flat profiles and with many or all of the weighted scores on the subtests equal to 1., Method: The main aim of the present paper is to use the statistical Hessl method and the extended statistical method of Orsini, Pezzuti and Hulbert with a sample of individuals with Down syndrome (n = 128; 72 boys and 56 girls), to underline the variability of performance on Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition subtests and indices, highlighting any strengths and weaknesses of this population that otherwise appear to be flattened., Results: Based on results using traditional transformation of raw scores into weighted scores, a very high percentage of subtests with weighted score of 1 occurred in the Down syndrome sample, with a floor effect and without any statistically significant difference between four core Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition indices. The results, using traditional transformation, confirm a deep cognitive impairment of those with Down syndrome. Conversely, using the new statistical method, it is immediately apparent that the variability of the scores, both on subtests and indices, is wider with respect to the traditional method., Conclusion: Children with Down syndrome show a greater ability in the Verbal Comprehension Index than in the Working Memory Index., (© 2018 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: We examined the cognitive characteristics of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) using the Wechsler Adult Intelligent Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III). In addition, the utility of short versions of WAIS-III for estimating IQ scores and index scores were examined., Methods: The subjects were 83 patients with probable AD, 33 patients with probable DLB, and 83 cognitively normal individuals., Results: Patients with DLB showed significantly lower scores in Performance IQ and Processing Speed compared with those with AD. The short versions of WAIS-III with Information, Similarities, Arithmetic, Digit Span, Picture Completion, Digit Symbol-Coding, and Block Design demonstrated relatively small amount of error, high correlations, and reliabilities with the full version., Conclusions: The results indicated that Performance IQ and Processing Speed in WAIS-III can be an indicator for differentiating AD and DLB in WAIS-III, and a short version obtained by the Similarities, Information, Picture Completion, Block Design, Arithmetic, Digit Span, and Digit-Symbol Coding yields high accuracy and can be used to estimate full-scale IQ scores on the WAIS-III.

This investigation was designed to determine the predictive accuracy of a comprehensive neuropsychological and brief neuropsychological test battery with regard to the capacity to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Accuracy statistics that included measures of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predicted power and positive likelihood ratio were calculated for both types of batteries. The sample was drawn from a general neurological group of adults (n = 117) that included a number of older participants (age >55; n = 38). Standardized neuropsychological assessments were administered to all participants and were comprised of the Halstead Reitan Battery and portions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III. A comprehensive test battery yielded a moderate increase over base-rate in predictive accuracy that generalized to older individuals. There was only limited support for using a brief battery, for although sensitivity was high, specificity was low. We found that a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery provided good classification accuracy for predicting IADL capacity.

Background: Which deficits in cognitive performance indicate the onset of a pathological deterioration process in older persons?, Aim and Objectives: Based on an established dementia screening test in elderly adults, a differentiation can be made between healthy cognitive performance and the onset of pathological deficits in performance (in the sense of mild cognitive impairment). The aim of the study was to investigate whether cognitive decline assessed with a dementia screening instrument is reflected in an intelligence test for adults. The dementia screening measured disorders in memory and attention, the intelligence testing battery measured information processing, working memory, perceptual reasoning, logical thinking and verbal comprehension., Material and Methods: A total of 253 cognitively healthy, self-dependent and non-dementia persons (129 women and 124 men), aged between 60 and 91 years (M = 71.98 years; SD = ±7.13) were tested with the complete Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS-IV) and the short performance test (SKT), based on the new normalization from 2015. The SKT enables an assessment of the degree of cognitive deterioration based on coloring codes of traffic lights. Green indicates normal aging, yellow mild cognitive impairment and red stands for abnormal cognitive aging., Results and Conclusion: There were significant correlations between the total SKT score as a measure of total cognitive impairment and the indices of the WAIS-IV, such as information processing, working memory and perceptual reasoning. No significant covariation was found for verbal comprehension. The results suggest that in old age cognitive deterioration starts with reduced speed of information processing and impairment in the working memory log before deficits in memory are present. This finding was reflected in significant mean differences between the subjects in the category green versus yellow in the indices information processing and working memory. Under these aspects there were medium effect strengths (d = 0.60) and the second largest (insignificant) differences were shown in working memory (d = 0.39).

Effects of Bilingualism on Cognitive Functions in Early Childhood Studies have revealed advantages in cognitive functions among children with bilingualism. In this study we investigate cognitive functions in monolingual and bilingual preschool children taking socioeconomic status into account. The study population consists of 40 monolingual (German) children (M age = 5.0 ± 0.4) and 23 bilingual (German/English) children (M age = 5.1 ± 0.6). A neuropsychological test battery was conducted. The analyses revealed better performance for bilingual children. However, significant group differences were only found with respect to phonological short-term memory. Controlling for socioeconomic status, intelligence and balanced bilingualism, only slight advantages in cognitive performance were found for bilingual children. Due to high socioeconomic status in both groups, we suppose a ceiling effect. Children's development might be extensively promoted in upper class families and therefore bilingualism may not have additional impact on cognitive functions in these children.

Objectives: This study examines errors committed by raters in a clinical trial of a memory enhancement compound., Background: Findings of clinical trials are directly dependent on the quality of the data obtained but there is little literature on rates or nature of rater errors on cognitive instruments in a multi-site setting., Design: Double-blind placebo-controlled study., Setting: 21 clinical sites in North America., Participants: Two hundred seventy-five participants., Measurements: MMSE, WMS-R Logical Memory I and II, WMS-R Verbal Paired Associates I, WASi Vocabulary, WASi Matrix Reasoning, GDS and MAC-Q., Results: The WMS-R Logical Memory I and II and WASi Vocabulary tests were found to have the greatest number of scoring errors. Few substantive errors were detected on source document review of the MMSE, GDS, MAC-Q and WMS-R Verbal Paired Associates I. Some additional administration and scoring issues were identified during feedback sessions with the raters., Conclusions: Cognitive measures used in clinical trials are prone to errors which can be detected with proper monitoring. Some instruments are particularly prone to inter-rater variably and should therefore be targets for focused training and ongoing monitoring. Areas in need of further investigation to help inform and optimize quality of clinical trial data are discussed.

The sex differences on the WISC-III are reported for the thirteen subtests, the Verbal and Performance IQs, the four Index IQs and the Full Scale IQs in Sudan and the United States. The sex differences are closely similar in the two samples with a correlation of 0.878 (p<0.001) for the thirteen subtests. Males obtained significantly higher Full Scale IQs in the two samples of 0.23d and 0.11d, respectively.

Alterations in temporal processing may represent a primary cause of key symptoms in ADHD. This study is aimed at investigating the nature of time-processing alterations in ADHD and assessing the possible utility of testing time estimation for clinical diagnostics. Retrospective verbal time estimation in the range of several minutes was examined in 50 boys with ADHD and 53 boys with other mental disorders. All participants (age 7-16) attended an outpatient clinic for ADHD diagnostics. The diagnostic assessment included the WISC-IV. Subjects with ADHD made longer and less accurate duration estimates than the clinical control group. The ADHD group showed a specific WISC-IV profile with processing speed deficits. In the ADHD group there was a correlation between processing speed and quality of time estimation that was not observed in the comparison group: higher processing speed indices were related to more accurate duration estimates. The findings provide support for the presence of a faster internal clock in subjects with ADHD and lend further support to the existence of a specific WISC-IV profile in subjects with ADHD. The results show that analyzing WISC-IV profiles and time estimation tasks are useful differential diagnosis tools, particularly when it comes to distinguishing between "real ADHD" and pseudo-ADHD.

Data from five subtests of the Executive Functions Module of the German Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB) and all ten core subtests of the German Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) were used to examine the relationship between executive functions and intelligence in a comparison of two age groups: individuals aged 18-59 years and individuals aged 60-88 years. The NAB subtests Categories and Word Generation demonstrated a consistent correlation pattern for both age groups. However, the NAB Judgment subtest correlated more strongly with three WAIS-IV indices, the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), and the General Ability Index (GAI) in the older adult group than in the younger group. Additionally, in the 60-88 age group, the Executive Functions Index (EFI) was more strongly correlated with the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) than with the Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI). Both age groups demonstrated a strong association of the EFI with the FSIQ and the Working Memory Index (WMI). The results imply the potential diagnostic utility of the Judgment subtest and a significant relationship between executive functioning and crystallized intelligence at older ages. Furthermore, it may be concluded that there is a considerable age-independent overlap between the EFI and general intelligence, as well as between the EFI and working memory.

Background: Irish educational psychologists frequently use the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth UK Edition (WISC-IV UK ; Wechsler, 2004, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth UK Edition, London, UK, Harcourt Assessment) in clinical assessments of children with learning difficulties. Unfortunately, reliability and validity studies of the WISC-IV UK standardization sample have not yet been reported. Watkins et al. (2013, International Journal of School and Educational Psychology, 1, 102) found support for a bifactor structure with a large sample (N = 794) of Irish children who were administered the 10 WISC-IV UK core subtests in clinical assessments of learning difficulties and dominance of general intelligence. Because only 10 subtests were available, Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC; McGrew, 1997, 2005, Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues, New York, NY: Guilford; Schneider & McGrew, 2012, Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues, New York, NY, Guilford Press) models could not be tested and compared., Aim, Sample and Method: The present study utilized confirmatory factor analyses to test the latent factor structure of the WISC-IV UK with a sample of 245 Irish children administered all 15 WISC-IV UK subtests in evaluations assessing learning difficulties in order to examine CHC- and Wechsler-based models. One through five, oblique first-order factor models and higher order versus bifactor models were examined and compared using CFA., Results: Meaningful differences in fit statistics were not observed between the Wechsler and CHC representations of higher-order or bifactor models. In all four structures, general intelligence accounted for the largest portions of explained common variance, whereas group factors accounted for small to miniscule portions of explained common variance. Omega-hierarchical subscale coefficients indicated that unit-weighted composites that would be generated by WISC-IV UK group factors (Wechsler or CHC) would contain little unique variance and thus be of little value., Conclusion: These results were similar to those from other investigations, further demonstrating the replication of the WISC-IV factor structure across cultures and the importance of focusing primary interpretation on the FSIQ., (© 2017 The British Psychological Society.)

The MMPI-2 and WAIS-IV are commonly used together in neuropsychological evaluations yet little is known about their interrelationships. This study explored the potential influence of psychological factors on WAIS-IV performance in a sample of 180 predominantly male veteran referrals that underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological examination in a VA Medical Center. Exclusionary criteria included failed performance validity testing and self-report distortion on the MMPI-2. A Principal Components Analysis was performed on the 15 MMPI-2 content scales, yielding three broader higher-order psychological dimensions: Internalized Emotional Dysfunction (IED), Externalized Emotional Dysfunction (EED), and Fear. Level of IED was not related to performance on the WAIS-IV Full Scale IQ or its four indexes: (Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed). EED was not related to WAIS-IV performance. Level of Fear, which encompasses health preoccupations (HEA) and distorted perceptions (BIZ), was significantly related to WAIS-IV Full Scale IQ and Verbal Comprehension. These results challenge the common use of high scores on the MMPI-2 IED measures (chiefly depression and anxiety) to explain deficient WAIS-IV performance. In addition, they provide impetus for further investigation of the relation between verbal intelligence and Fear.

This study examined the applicability and measurement invariance of the bifactor model of the 10 Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) core subtests in groups of children and adolescents (age range from 6 to 16 years) with low (IQ ≤79; N = 229; % male = 75.9) and normal (IQ ≥80; N = 816; % male = 75.0) IQ scores. Results supported this model in both groups, and there was good support for measurement invariance for this model across these groups. For all participants together, the omega hierarchical and explained common variance (ECV) values were high for the general factor and low to negligible for the specific factors. Together, the findings favor the use of the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) scores of the WISC-IV, but not the subscale index scores. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).)

Individual differences in attentional control involve the ability to voluntarily direct, shift, and sustain attention. In studies of the role of attentional control in emotional adjustment, social relationships, and vulnerability to the effects of stress, self-report questionnaires are commonly used to measure this construct. Yet, convincing evidence of the association between self-report scales and actual cognitive performance has not been demonstrated. Across 2 independent samples, we examined associations between self-reported attentional control (Attentional Control Scale; ACS), self-reported emotional adjustment, Five-Factor Model personality traits (NEO Personality Inventory-Revised) and performance measures of attentional control. Study 1 examined behavioral performance on the Attention Network Test (ANT; Fan, McCandliss, Sommer, Raz, & Posner, 2002) and the Modified Switching Task (MST; Suchy & Kosson, 2006) in a large sample (n = 315) of healthy young adults. Study 2 (n = 78) examined behavioral performance on standardized neuropsychological tests of attention, including Conner's Continuous Performance Test-II and subtests from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales, Third Edition (WAIS-III; Psychological Corporation, 1997) and Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS; Delis, Kaplan, & Kramer, 2001). Results indicated that the ACS was largely unrelated to behavioral performance measures of attentional control but was significantly associated with emotional adjustment, neuroticism, and conscientiousness. These findings suggest that although self-reported attentional control may be a useful construct, researchers using the ACS should exercise caution in interpreting it as a proxy for actual cognitive ability or performance. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).)

Psychological assessments are highly dependent on the forthrightness and sincere efforts of examinees. In particular, evaluations in forensic settings must consider whether feigning or other response styles are utilized to intentionally distort the clinical presentation. The current study examines the effectiveness of the Inventory of Legal Knowledge (ILK) at detecting feigned incompetency within a sample of jail detainees. As an ancillary goal, several scales of the Standardized Assessment of Miranda Abilities were included in the same within-subjects simulation design. Results of the total ILK score raised concerns regarding the mischaracterization of genuine offenders as "suggestive of feigning." Pending cross-validation, however, a Revised ILK proved highly effective, using a floor effect detection strategy. Although intended for Miranda-specific abilities, several detection strategies on the Standardized Assessment of Miranda Abilities appeared to be very promising within a broadened context of feigned incompetency.

Objective: To evaluate whether family factors were associated with intellectual functioning among children with medically refractory epilepsy, and whether family factors moderate the relationship between patient/epilepsy-related variables and intellectual functioning., Method: Children aged 4 to 18 years with medically refractory epilepsy who were evaluated for surgical candidacy were recruited. The authors assessed the association of intellectual quotient (IQ) with patient, epilepsy, and family factors. Family factors included parental education, household income, and validated parent-report measures of family functioning, family mastery and social support, and family demands., Results: Univariable analyses showed that higher IQ scores were associated with an older age of epilepsy onset (β = .260, p = .009), fewer antiepileptic drugs (β = .248, p = .013), a shorter duration (β = .384, p < .001) and percentage of life with epilepsy (β = .419, p < .001), unilobar epileptogenic foci relative to multilobar foci (β = .274, p = .006), and lower family demands (β = .211, p = .035). In multivariable analysis, unilobar epileptogenic foci (p = .010) and a shorter percentage of life with epilepsy (p = .001) remained significant predictors of IQ. Exploratory moderation analyses found the relationship between the extent of epileptogenic foci and IQ to be moderated by family demands (p = .004); specifically, patients with unilobar epileptogenic onset had similar IQ scores irrespective of family demands, whereas patients with multilobar foci had lower IQ scores with increasing family demands., Conclusion: Family factors did not have a large impact on IQ among children with medically refractory epilepsy, although the moderating effect of family demands deserves further study. Epilepsy-related factors in this patient group may weaken the link between child IQ and family factors. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).)

Objective: To investigate the impact of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) on multisensory integration in relation to general neurocognitive functioning., Method: Children with a hospital admission for TBI aged between 6 and 13 years (n = 94) were compared with children with trauma control (TC) injuries (n = 39), while differentiating between mild TBI without risk factors for complicated TBI (mild RF- ; n = 19), mild TBI with ≥1 risk factor (mild RF+ ; n = 45), and moderate/severe TBI (n = 30). We measured set-shifting performance based on visual information (visual shift condition) and set-shifting performance based on audiovisual information, requiring multisensory integration (audiovisual shift condition). Effects of TBI on set-shifting performance were traced back to task strategy (i.e., boundary separation), processing efficiency (i.e., drift rate), or extradecisional processes (i.e., nondecision time) using diffusion model analysis. General neurocognitive functioning was measured using estimated full-scale IQ (FSIQ)., Results: The TBI group showed selectively reduced performance in the audiovisual shift condition (p = .009, Cohen's d = -0.51). Follow-up analyses in the audiovisual shift condition revealed reduced performance in the mildRF+ TBI group and moderate/severe TBI group (ps ≤ .025, ds ≤ -0.61). These effects were traced back to lower drift rate (ps ≤ .048, ds ≤ -0.44), reflecting reduced multisensory integration efficiency. Notably, accuracy and drift rate in the audiovisual shift condition partially mediated the relation between TBI and FSIQ., Conclusion: Children with mildRF+ or moderate/severe TBI are at risk for reduced multisensory integration efficiency, possibly contributing to decreased general neurocognitive functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).)

Cognitive impairment among seriously mentally ill offenders has implications for legal matters (e.g., competency to stand trial), as well as clinical treatment and care. Thus, being able to identify potential cognitive concerns early in the adjudication process can be important when deciding on further interventions. In this study, we examined the validity scales of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV), and competency findings in male inmates (n=61) diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Lower scores on the WAIS-IV significantly (p=0.001) predicted invalid, versus valid, PAI profiles, with working memory impairment being the most significant (p=0.004) predictor of an invalid profile. Ancillary analyses on a smaller sample (n=18) indicate that those with invalid PAI profiles were more likely to be deemed legally incompetent (p=0.03). These findings suggest that the PAI validity scales may be informative in detecting cognitive concerns and help clinicians make determinations about competency restoration and treatment., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Whether a lack of direct parental care affects brain function in children is an important question, particularly in developing countries where hundreds of millions of children are left behind when their parents migrate for economic or political reasons. In this study, we investigated changes in the topological architectures of brain functional networks in left-behind children (LBC). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained from 26 LBC and 21 children living within their nuclear family (non-LBC). LBC showed a significant increase in the normalized characteristic path length (λ), suggesting a decrease in efficiency in information access, and altered nodal centralities in the fronto-limbic regions and motor and sensory systems. Moreover, a decreased nodal degree and the nodal betweenness of the right rectus gyrus were positively correlated with annual family income. The present study provides the first empirical evidence that suggests that a lack of direct parental care could affect brain functional development in children, particularly involving emotional networks., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Assessment of measurement invariance across populations is essential for meaningful comparison of test scores, and is especially relevant where repeated measurements are required for educational assessment or clinical diagnosis. Establishing measurement invariance legitimizes the assumption that test scores reflect the same psychological trait in different populations or across different occasions. Examination of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) U.S. standardization samples revealed that a first-order 5-factor measurement model was best fitting across 9 age groups from 16 years to 69 years. Strong metric invariance was found for 3 of 5 factors and partial intercept invariance for the remaining 2. Pairwise comparisons of adjacent age groups supported the inference that cognitive-trait group differences are manifested by group differences in the test scores. In educational and clinical settings these findings provide theoretical and empirical support to interpret changes in the index or subtest scores as reflecting changes in the corresponding cognitive abilities. Further, where clinically relevant, the subtest score composites can be used to compare changes in respective cognitive abilities. The model was supported in the Canadian standardization data with pooled age groups but the sample sizes were not adequate for detailed examination of separate age groups in the Canadian sample. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).)

Background: Tests requiring the pronunciation of irregular words are used to estimate premorbid cognitive ability in patients with clinical diagnoses, and prior cognitive ability in normal ageing. However, scores on these word-reading tests correlate with scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a widely used screening test for possible cognitive pathology. This study aimed to test whether the word-reading tests' correlations with MMSE scores in healthy older people are explained by childhood IQ or education., Method: Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR), National Adult Reading Test (NART), MMSE scores and information about education were obtained from 1024 70-year-olds, for whom childhood intelligence test scores were available., Results: WTAR and NART were positively correlated with the MMSE (r ≈ 0.40, p < 0.001). The shared variance of WTAR and NART with MMSE was significantly attenuated by ~70% after controlling for childhood intelligence test scores. Education explained little additional variance in the association between the reading tests and the MMSE., Conclusions: MMSE, which is often used to index cognitive impairment, is associated with prior cognitive ability. MMSE score is related to scores on WTAR and NART largely due to their shared association with prior ability. Obtained MMSE scores should be interpreted in the context of prior ability (or WTAR/NART score as its proxy).

Purpose/objective: To examine resilience in the context of adjustment to traumatic brain injury (TBI), including the relative roles of demographic and theoretically related constructs such as coping, social support, and positive affectivity on resilience within the first 5 years postinjury., Research Method/design: This was a cross-sectional, observational study of 67 persons with medically documented mild complicated to severe TBI. Participants completed a battery of measures including cognitive tests; questionnaires assessing self-report of emotional symptoms, perceived social support, and coping style; and a measure of resilience., Results: Approximately 60% of the sample endorsed moderate to high levels of resilience during the first 5 years postinjury. Brain injury severity, premorbid intelligence, and cognitive flexibility did not predict resilience, as measured by the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. By contrast, task-oriented coping and perceived social support were strong and unique covariates of resilience. Positive and negative affectivity were related to resilience but were not unique covariates of it in the presence of task-oriented coping and perceived social support. Discriminant validity of resilience as a concept and the means of assessing it was supported by findings that emotion-oriented and avoidance coping were not meaningfully related to resilience., Conclusions/implications: Overall, the findings indicate that the majority of individuals in this sample reported high levels of resilience after brain injury and that correlates of resilience in adults with TBI is similar to that observed in adults without the history of cognitive impairment. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).)

The fifth edition of theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disordersgrouped specific learning disabilities in the single diagnostic category of specific learning disorder (SLD), with specifiers for impairments in reading, written expression, and mathematics. This study aimed at investigating the intellectual profile, assessed with the fourth edition of theWechsler Intelligence Scale for Children(WISC-IV), of 172 children with a diagnosis of SLD, compared to 74 clinical referral controls. WISC-IV intellectual functioning in children with SLD was characterized by a significant discrepancy between general ability and cognitive proficiency (General Ability Index [GAI] > Cognitive Proficiency Index [CPI]), and worse performances on the Similarities, Digit Span, Letter-Number Sequencing, and Coding subtests, supporting models of multiple cognitive deficits at the basis of neurodevelopmental disorders as SLD. GAI was the best and more conservative measure provided by the WISC-IV to identify intellectual functioning in children with SLD, and the intellectual discrepancy between GAI and CPI could be considered a "cognitive sign" for the presence of SLD in a single diagnostic category. Cognitive deficits differed in subtypes of impairment (reading, written expression, and mathematics), supporting their distinction for empirical, educational, and rehabilitative purposes. These findings need further replication in larger samples and in comparison to typically developing children., (© Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.)

Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is defined by severe face recognition difficulties due to the failure to develop the visual mechanisms for processing faces. The two-process theory of face recognition (Morton & Johnson, 1991) implies that DP could result from a failure of an innate face detection system; this failure could prevent an individual from then tuning higher-level processes for face recognition (Johnson, 2005). Work with adults indicates that some individuals with DP have normal face detection whereas others are impaired. However, face detection has not been addressed in children with DP, even though their results may be especially informative because they have had less opportunity to develop strategies that could mask detection deficits. We tested the face detection abilities of seven children with DP. Four were impaired at face detection to some degree (i.e. abnormally slow, or failed to find faces) while the remaining three children had normal face detection. Hence, the cases with impaired detection are consistent with the two-process account suggesting that DP could result from a failure of face detection. However, the cases with normal detection implicate a higher-level origin. The dissociation between normal face detection and impaired identity perception also indicates that these abilities depend on different neurocognitive processes., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: The present research examined the validity of self-report versus informant-report in relation to a performance-based indicator of adult ADHD., Method: Archival data from 118 participants (52 males, 66 females) were used to compare Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale-Self-Report: Long Format (CAARS-S:L) and Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale-Observer Report: Long Format (CAARS-O:L) with discrepancy scores calculated between the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III) Verbal Comprehension Index - Working Memory Index (VCI - WMI) and Perceptual-Organizational Index - Processing Speed Index (POI - PSI) scaled scores., Results: Neither the self- nor informant-report formats of the CAARS were better predictors of discrepancies between WAIS-III Index scores. Intercorrelations between the CAARS-S:L and CAARS-O:L revealed generally higher correlations between the same scales of different formats and among scales measuring externally visible symptoms. Furthermore, regression analysis indicated that both the CAARS-S:L and CAARS-O:L clinical scales contributed a significant proportion of variance in WAIS-III VCI - WMI discrepancy scores (14.7% and 16.4%, respectively)., Conclusion: Results did not establish greater accuracy of self-report versus informant-report of ADHD symptomatology, rather demonstrate the need for multimodal assessment of ADHD in adults., (© The Author(s) 2013.)

This article investigated the accuracy of six short forms of the Dutch Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Third edition (WPPSI-III-NL) in estimating intelligent quotient (IQ) scores in healthy children aged 4 to 7 years (N = 1,037). Overall, accuracy for each short form was studied, comparing IQ equivalences based on the short forms with the original WPPSI-III-NL Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) scores. Next, our sample was divided into three groups: children performing below average, average, or above average, based on the WPPSI-III-NL FSIQ estimates of the original long form, to study the accuracy of WPPSI-III-NL short forms at the tails of the FSIQ distribution. While studying the entire sample, all IQ estimates of the WPPSI-III-NL short forms correlated highly with the FSIQ estimates of the original long form (all rs ≥ .83). Correlations decreased significantly while studying only the tails of the IQ distribution (rs varied between .55 and .83). Furthermore, IQ estimates of the short forms deviated significantly from the FSIQ score of the original long form, when the IQ estimates were based on short forms containing only two subtests. In contrast, unlike the short forms that contained two to four subtests, the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence short form (containing the subtests Vocabulary, Similarities, Block Design, and Matrix Reasoning) and the General Ability Index short form (containing the subtests Vocabulary, Similarities, Comprehension, Block Design, Matrix Reasoning, and Picture Concepts) produced less variations when compared with the original FSIQ score., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

This study compared the factor structure of the translated Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III), which is the latest available version in Norway, with the original U.S. version. A sample of 122 healthy, elderly Norwegians (mean age: 74; standard deviation = 8.8) completed the WMS-III. The factor structure of the translated WMS-III was tested, using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, with comparison of model fit based on five a priori hypothesized models. Several model fit indices pointed to a three-factor model (working memory, visual memory, and auditory memory) providing the best fit to the data. Our study supports updated findings of the original WMS-III in nonclinical samples and suggests that the translated version is structurally equal to the original. The study supports the cross-cultural validity of the WMS-III. However, based on the present data, one might expect scores on the Family Pictures subtest to fall below scores on other WMS-III subtests in elderly Norwegians., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: Studies suggest that children and adolescents suffering from AD(H)D show a specific WISC-IV profile in comparison to subjects of the same age group without any mental disorder. The present study compares the cognitive profiles of male subjects with AD(H)D to those of a clinical control group. The benefits of applying an ADHD specific cognitive profile analysis to differential diagnostics are analyzed., Method: The WISC-IV profiles of 50 male subjects with AD(H)D (8 to 15 years) were compared with the profiles of 54 male children and adolescents(7 to 16 years) with other mental disorders. In addition, subgroup differences within the AD(H)D group were investigated., Results: Subjects with AD(H)D showed a significant lower processing speed than the control group. Within the AD(H)D group, patients with ADD showed the lowest speed index. There were no group differences in total IQ and other WISC-IV indexes., Conclusions: A WISC-IV profile analysis is not a suitable instrument to certainly confirm or exclude an AD(H)D diagnosis. Nevertheless, the results of the present study speak for considering the WISC-IV profile in the diagnosis of AD(H)D as it increases the sensitivity of the clinical diagnostic process and provides useful indicators for differential diagnosis.

The purpose of the present investigation was to conduct a meta-analysis of the literature on examiner errors for the Wechsler scales of intelligence. Results indicate that a mean of 99.7% of protocols contained at least 1 examiner error when studies that included a failure to record examinee responses as an error were combined and a mean of 41.2% of protocols contained at least 1 examiner error when studies that ignored errors of omission were combined. Furthermore, graduate student examiners were significantly more likely to make at least 1 error on Wechsler intelligence test protocols than psychologists. However, psychologists made significantly more errors per protocol than graduate student examiners regardless of the inclusion or exclusion of failure to record examinee responses as errors. On average, 73.1% of Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) scores changed as a result of examiner errors, whereas 15.8%-77.3% of scores on the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI), Working Memory Index (WMI), and Processing Speed Index changed as a result of examiner errors. In addition, results suggest that examiners tend to overestimate FSIQ scores and underestimate VCI scores. However, no strong pattern emerged for the PRI and WMI. It can be concluded that examiner errors occur frequently and impact index and FSIQ scores. Consequently, current estimates for the standard error of measurement of popular IQ tests may not adequately capture the variance due to the examiner., ((c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).)

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorders belong to Pervasive Development Disorders. Although access to education is recommended by the French National High Authority for Health (HAS), the practice remains limited and the reasons for the low education rate of these children have still not been sufficiently explored in the literature., Objective: The main objective of this study was to analyze the links between Autism Spectrum Disorder without mental retardation, psychiatric comorbidity and education. The secondary objective was to analyze the cognitive and contextual factors that could limit educational inclusion., Method: Eighty-three autistic patients (3-18years old; 73 males and 10 females) with childhood autism, atypical autism or Asperger's syndrome (criteria from the International Classification of Diseases-10) without mental retardation and in education were assessed at the Alpine Centre for Early Diagnosis of Autism. The sample included 45 subjects with childhood autism, 12 subjects with atypical autism and 26 subjects with Asperger's syndrome. The diagnosis was based on the Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised (ADI-R), in accordance with the recommendations of the HAS, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4th edition (WISC-IV)., Results: Our results showed that childhood autism and atypical autism were mainly found in nursery and primary school, whereas Asperger's syndrome was mainly found in secondary school (Chi(2)=18.23; df=6; P<.006). Individuals with childhood autism and atypical autism were more likely to receive the support of a special educational assistant (Chi(2)=15.61; df=2; P<.000) and underwent a higher number of consultations and treatment episodes than those with Asperger's syndrome (Chi(2)=27.83; df=14; P<.015). The cognitive profiles obtained with the WISC-IV also differed: the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Working Memory Index (WMI) were higher for Asperger's syndrome than for childhood autism and atypical autism (respectively, F=23.11, P<.000; df=2; partial η(2)=.576 and F=8.06, P<.001; df=2; partial η(2)=.357). Linear regression showed that the VCI and Processing Speed Index (PSI) were inversely correlated to the number of hours spent with a special educational assistant: the lower these indexes, the greater the amount of time spent with a special educational assistant. No link was found between psychiatric comorbidity, type of psychological and psychiatric treatment, and education., Discussion: The use of special educational assistants seems to be linked to the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders and neuropsychological functioning, as assessed by WISC-IV, along a continuum that ranges from childhood autism (more needs and deficits) to atypical autism to Asperger's syndrome. The Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and the Processing Speed Index (PSI) could be used to evaluate the number of hours of support needed by children and to better target the deficits and specific needs of children without mental retardation who are in education. A study on a larger scale could help to more closely address the question of the cognitive abilities of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder without mental retardation, so as to better help them in their education., (Copyright © 2015 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

This study used estimated factor scores from a bifactor analysis of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) to examine the unique effects of its latent variables on academic achievement. In doing so, we addressed the potential limitation of multicollinearity in previous studies of the incremental validity of the WAIS-IV. First, factor scores representing psychometric g and 4 group factors representing the WAIS-IV index scales were computed from a bifactor model. Subtest and composite scores for the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Third Edition (WIAT-II) were then predicted from these estimated factor scores in simultaneous multiple regression. Results of this study only partially replicated the findings of previous research on the incremental validity of scores that can be derived from performance on the WAIS-IV. Although we found that psychometric g is the most important underlying construct measured by the WAIS-IV for the prediction of academic achievement in general, results indicated that the unique effect of Verbal Comprehension is also important for predicting achievement in reading, spelling, and oral communication skills. Based on these results, measures of both psychometric g and Verbal Comprehension could be cautiously interpreted when considering high school students' performance in these areas of achievement., ((c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).)

Sex differences on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III) are reported for children in Bahrain and the United States. The results for the two samples were consistent in showing no significant differences in Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs, higher average scores by boys on the Block design and Mazes subtests of spatial ability, and higher average scores by girls on Coding. There was also greater variability in boys than in girls.