Patterns of Cognitive Impairment in Children with Suspected and Documented Neurological Dysfunction

Abstract

WISC Verbal-Performance discrepancy, Vocabulary-Block Design discrepancy, and Similarities-Object Assembly discrepancy were investigated in matched samples of 25 normal, suspected neurological dysfunction, and documented neurological dysfunction children. The results suggest a continuum of deficit in these samples ranging from normal performance by normal controls to moderate impairment in Ss with documented neurological dysfunction. The suspected neurological dysfunction sample occupied a median position in the continuum as predicted. An analysis of WISC IQ and subtest scores in the three samples also supported the predicted continuum of deficit. Specific WISC subtest comparisons may be of some research and clinical utility in the prediction of neurological dysfunction in pediatric patients.