Cross-Racial Comparison of the WAIS and WAIS-R

Abstract

This research involved a cross-racial comparison of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) with the revised version, the WAIS-R. Three groups of 25 Anglo, 25 Black, and 25 Mexican-American male college students were administered both versions of the WAIS on the same day, using a procedure that precluded the repetition of identical test items. The data were subjected to multivariate, then univariate, analyses of variance and correlational analysis. Significant differences were found among the racial groups, with the Anglos scoring higher than the Blacks or Mexican-Americans. The WAIS and WAIS-R scores were all highly correlated but the WAIS-R produced significantly lower scores than the WAIS for all three groups. Despite significant differences for ethnicity and test form, no significant interaction (form X race) was found, confirming that the WAIS/WAIS-R differences were consistent across racial groups. Results are discussed in terms of sociocultural and bilingual factors affecting test bias.