Comparability of WISC-R and WAIS-R Scores for a Sample of College Students with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Given the recent revision of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), information about its comparability to the WISC-R for persons with learning disabilities is unknown. To determine the relationship between WISC-R and WAIS-R Verbal, Performance, Full Scale, and scaled scores, this study analyzed the IQ and subtest scaled scores of 38 college students who applied for entrance to a program for learning disabilities. Results indicated that the WISC-R and WAIS-R Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs were correlated significantly. Even so, subjects tended to obtain higher scores on the WISC-R than on the WAIS-R. Our learning disabilities sample performed higher on only two WAIS-R subtests: Digit Span and Digit Symbol. Only three subtests were not correlated significantly: Similarities, Arithmetic, and Comprehension. Perhaps the most likely hypothesis for the lower WAIS-R scores is the more recent norming of the WAIS-R (1981) versus the WISC-R (1974). Because of its more recent norms, the WAIS-R may represent a better choice for college LD service providers.