| dc.description.abstract | This study used a test-retest paradigm to
investigate change/stability in Wechsler Adult
Intelligence Scale-Revised scores of 16 and 17 year olds.
Both short (3 month) and long (18 month) retest intervals
were investigated with 26 subjects in each group. The
results of this study were quite consistent in showing
that WAIS-R retest gains for young 16 year olds were
greater over an 18 month retest period than over a 3
month retest period. This general finding was true for
males and females on mean Verbal IQ and Full Scale IQ.
Mean Performance IQ also showed this differential retest
effect but only for males. Verbal IQ gain for the long
term retest group seems largely the result of the
Vocabulary and Comprehension subtests. Some of the
results varied by gender. Although absolute retest gains
were different for the long versus short term retest
groups, test-retest reliability was high for both groups.
Absolute IQ gains for Performance and Full Scale were
significantly, but not highly correlated with initial IQ
score. Clinical and theoretical implications of these
results were discussed. Further research needs to
address change/stability of measured IQ for 16 and 17
year olds no longer attending school, and explore the
relationship between gender and IQ change for this age
group. | |
