Joseph J. Ryan

Rey auditory-verbal learning test performance of patients with and without memory impairment

Investigated performance on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) of 92 psychiatric and neurological patients classified as memory-impaired (N = 45) or non-memory-impaired (N = 47). The groups were comparable on age and education. Relative to the non-memory-impaired Ss, performance of the memory-impaired patients was significantly lower on all AVLT scores, ps less than .01. The AVLT appears to hold promise as a quick screening measure for the clinical evaluation of patients with suspected verbal learning and memory impairments.

Validity of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) in a psychiatric sample.

Investigated the validity of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) in a psychiatric sample. Fifty psychiatric patients were given the NPI as part of a routine psychological evaluation. Correlations between the NPI and the basic personality style scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) were obtained; the largest correlation was between the NPI and the narcissism scale of the MCMI (r = .66, p less than .001). When classified into the low and high narcissistic groups, there was 74% agreement between the NPI and narcissistic scale of the MCMI. These results provide further support for the construct validity of the NPI.

Factor analysis of the Wechsler adult intelligence scale-revised (WAIS-R) in a brain-damaged sample

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) was factor analyzed for a sample of 100 diagnostically heterogeneous brain-damaged patients. Subjects were from two VA Medical Centers located in the Midwest with means for age, education, and Full Scale IQ of 52.31 (SD = 14.41), 11.37 (SD = 2.57), and 86.72 (SD = 10.78), respectively. A principal factor analysis followed by Varimax rotation provided evidence for the existence of three factors underlying the WAIS-R (i.e., Performance, Verbal, and Freedom from Distractibility). The present results are consistent with earlier studies that employed the 1939 and 1955 versions of Wechslers Adult Intelligence Scale with neurologically impaired subjects.

Validity and diagnostic accuracy of an alternate form of the rey auditory verbal learning test

The diagnostic validity of an alternate form of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) is investigated. Subjects were 73 inpatients from a VA Medical Center who were classified as having either intact (n = 41) or impaired (n = 32) memory functions. Employing a counterbalanced design, both groups were administered the standard (Form A) and alternate (Form C) forms of the AVLT. Means for the learning trials, trial VI and the recognition procedure were calculated for the intact and memory-impaired subjects and contrasted for each test. Results suggested that Form C discriminated groups at a level comparable to that of Form A. This impression was confirmed by separate stepwise discriminant analyses for Form A and Form C that yielded identical hit-rates (i.e., 75.3%) in terms of identifying subjects as memory-intact or memory-impaired. These findings suggested that Form C may be used for the assessment of persons with verbal mnemonic deficits with the same degree of confidence that has been attributed to Form A.

Wechsler Performance IQ > Verbal IQ Index in a Forensic Sample: A Reconsideration.

Explored the relationships of the Performance IQ (PIQ) greater than Verbal IQ (VIQ) to type of crime, ethnicity, and reading disability in a corrections sample of 70 adult males incarcerated on felony charges. The PIQ greater than VIQ sign was not related to Full Scale IQ or to violent vs. nonviolent crime, per se. The PIQ greater than VIQ sign showed a trend toward association with Ethnicity (black vs. white) and was related significantly to reading disability, with the reading disabled inmates more likely to show the sign, and to type of crime, with perpetrators of sex crimes most likely (87%) to show the sign and those incarcerated for murder or attempted murder least likely (33%) to show it. The difference in the proportion of inmates who showed the sign in these two classes of violent crimes (murder and sex crimes) was significant, and further analysis showed that with murder excluded, PIQ greater than VIQ occurred significantly more frequently in those accused of violent crimes than for nonviolent crimes. The latter findings suggested that differences between studies in the relationship of PIQ greater than VIQ and violence may be the result of differences in the proportion of murderers in the violent samples. Additional analyses indicated that the significant relationships between PIQ greater than VIQ and both type of crime and reading disability were most likely independent of ethnicity and each other. Language: en

Comparison of two IQ conversion tables for the vocabulary-block design short form

This study compared Brooker and Cyr (1986) and Silverstein (1982) WAIS-R IQ conversion tables for the Vocabulary-Block Design combination. Subjects were 150 veterans unselected with respect to diagnosis. Means for Full Scale IQ, Brooker and Cyr IQ, and Silverstein IQ were 94.17 (SD = 15.05), 96.68 (SD = 15.35), and 96.87 (SD = 15.30), respectively. Correlations between Full Scale IQ and both IQ estimates were highly significant: Brooker and Cyr r(148) = .91, p less than .001; Silverstein r(148) = .92, p less than .001. Both short-form IQs overestimated Full Scale IQ; average difference of 1.51 points for Brooker and Cyr and 1.67 for Silverstein were found. Agreement between both short form IQ estimates and Full Scale in terms of Wechslers seven category intelligence classification was 62%. Both conversion tables yield comparable Full Scale IQ estimates.

Test-retest reliability of the Wechsler Memory Scale, Form I

Administered the Wechsler Memory Scale, Form I (WMS) twice to 34 normal Ss and 30 hospitalized patients with psychiatric or neurological disorders. In the normal group, the Memory Quotient (MQ) test-retest reliability was r(32) = .75, p less than .001. The mean retest gain in points was 7.2, median gain was 7, and range of gain was from -18 to +28. The increase in mean MQ over time was significant, t(33) = 3.95, p less than .001. In the psychiatric-neurological group, the MQ test-retest reliability was r(28) = .89, p less than .001. The mean retest gain points was 4, median gain was 4.5, and range of gain was from -12 to +23. The increase in mean MQ over time was significant, t(29) = 2.32, p less than .05. Although the WMS possesses acceptable psychometric reliability, the clinician must keep in mind that the MQ may change significantly over time for individual Ss.

Comparative relationships of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS-R) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) to the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS)

This study investigated whether the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale — Revised (WAIS-R) and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) demonstrate similar patterns of relationship with the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS). Sixty VA patients were administered the WAIS-R and WMS and 60 completed the WAIS and WMS. The groups were comparable in terms of demographic variables. Pearson correlations were computed between the subtest and IQ scores from the intelligence scales and the scores from the WMS for each group. Comparison of the resulting correlations for the WAIS-R group with those of the WAIS subjects demonstrated only four significant differences, indicating that the WAIS-R and WAIS variables covary in a similar manner with the WMS scores. Following factor analysis of the test data for both groups, coefficients of congruence indicated a high degree of similarity between the two factor solutions. Essentially the same relationships emerged between intelligence variables and the WMS regardless of which scale was administered.

Relationship between WISC-R and WRAT in Children Referred for Learning Difficulties.

Correlations between the WISC-R Full, Verbal, Performance, and Freedom from Distractibility Scale IQs, WISC-R subtest scaled scores, and Wide Range Achievement Test Reading, Spelling, and Arithmetic standard scores were computed for a sample of 114 children (64 boys, 50 girls), aged 6 to 16 years, who were referred for psychological evaluation because of academic or learning difficulties. The Full Scale IQ, Verbal Scale IQ, and Freedom from Distractibility IQ correlated moderately with the three achievement area standard scores (rs of .48 to .59). However, the Performance Scale IQ correlated minimally with reading and spelling scores (rs of .26 and .27), but moderately with arithmetic scores (r = .40). The results support the concurrent validity of the WISC-R.

Fagerstrom's tolerance questionnaire: Clarification of item and scoring ambiguities

Fagerstroms Tolerance Questionnaire has often been used as a measure of physical dependence on nicotine. Inadequate delineation of scoring criteria has made reliability of scoring across users questionable. Standardized cutoffs and the correct translation of one item are presented with recommendations for future use.