Explanation of WAIS-III and MMPI Results

Client Background/History:

Behavioral Observations:

Test Results

Intellectual Testing: The client produced a Full Scale IQ score in the Average Range of intellectual functioning (FSIQ = 102). The results indicate that his Full Scale IQ score is at the 55th percentile compared to his peers (Wechsler, 1997). The client also produced a significant discrepancy on measures of his verbal and nonverbal intellectual skills in favor of his verbal abilities, although both were in the Average Range (Verbal IQ = 111; Performance IQ = 90). Further inspection of his pattern of results on the index scores indicates that the overall pattern of differences between his Verbal IQ and Performance IQ is not due to a significant difference in his verbal and nonverbal intellectual abilities, but to other issues.

First, the client produced equivalent performances on purer measures of his true verbal and nonverbal intellectual abilities (Verbal Comprehension Index = 109; Perceptual Organization Index = 109). Secondly, the client displayed significantly lower scores on the Working Memory Index and Processing Speed Index (both indices are = 86). While these performances are in the low average range and not considered to be frankly deficient they do represent relative areas of weakness for this client. An overall inspection of his subtest scores revealed that the client experiences difficulty mentally manipulating information, retaining information for short periods of time in memory, and mentally retaining information required to efficiently perform a motor response. Thus, the client displays relative weaknesses in his ability retain and use information in short-term memory, attend to information, and to work quickly and use retained information. He performed relatively poorer on tests with the time limit and especially timed tests that required him to use more abstract nonverbal reasoning skills in addition to paying attention and working quickly.