Cognitive Assessment Exam 1

advantage of psychological tests over alternatives (4)

Standardized - Variance in the test scores reflects individual differences rather than differences in test administration Quantitative -Precision/Objectivity Economical/efficient Best and sometimes only feasible way of collecting certain types of data

percentile rank

equals or exceeds _% of the general population

Spearman's g

factor analysis yields a single factor that accounts for differences between people on tests.

twisted pear

low levels of intelligence seem to predict outcomes in a linear fashion, but as intelligence rises, you get a wider spread of outcomes, low to high, so that higher intelligence does not necessarily equate to a higher outcome

arithmetic

working memory, mental manipulation, attention, concentration, sequential processing, numerical reasoning

letter-number sequencing

working memory, mental manipulation, attention, concentration, short-term auditory memory

Crystallized ability

"Learned" ability Involved in tasks that utilize Previous training Education Acculturation Vocabulary as prototypical test

hypothetical g (4)

"Mental energy" (Spearman), neural efficiency, Neural plasticity - ability to be flexible/adapt at the nervous system level Processing speed- the ability for the brain to process rapidly - Hans Eysenck Capacity - the ability to deal with increased amounts of cognitive load (poverty can increase cognitive load; result is lower scores on cognitive tests) Inhibitory processes (resistance to interference)

Fluid ability

"Raw" ability Problem solving Adaptation and flexibility Unfamiliar stimuli Matrix Reasoning as prototypical test Figure Weights an additional Gf test

what to do when given multiple responses

"You said __, ___, and __. which one did you mean?"

purpose of repeat administration

-provide context for reviewing change in specific symptoms and behaviors -document consistency and change in domains of behavior and experience other than the specific treatment targets -Can provide a summary and future direction for a clinician's work with a given client -Helps document clinician's effectiveness

advantages of assessment (3)

-timely and accurate formulation -time-efficient and cost-effective way -provide surprising information unbiased by clinician's worldview

parts of guiding conception (3)

-world view -Knowledge of relevant empirical research -Personal knowledge (experience)

subtest with highest g loadings

1. vocabulary 2. similarities

95% CI

95% of people with a score of 97 would have a true score that falls between 93 - 101. For all people who have a score of 97, 95% of them would have a score between 93-101.

When & when not to use FSIQ

Are the four indices similar? If any are statistically different, then consider: Are any differences clinically significant? Check the base rates: At the PCH, a base rate below 9% is considered clinical significant. If all base rates are greater than or equal to 9%, then they are clinically similar. Use the FSIQ. If base rate for difference between VCI & PRI is > 9%, but the base rate for at least one other difference is < 9%, use the GAI. The VCI & PRI are clinically similar, so GAI is a good way to represent overall ability. If base rate for a statistically significant difference between the VCI & PRI is < 9%, neither the FSIQ nor the GAI represent the indices adequately. Use the VCI & PRI separately

assessment's role in disciplined inquiry

Assessment informs each step of the process: Client's problems and goals shape task > Intervention based on formulation > Formulation shaped by clinician's guiding conception > Action > Monitoring evaluation > Concluding evaluation

Progression of intelligence theories

Earliest: Spearman's g> Dichotomous> Multiple intelligences>Applying theory - interacting of cog and non-cog: Woodcock-Johnson info processing model

progress in intelligence test interpretation (4 waves)

First-wave: Stanford-Binet - difficulty levels Second-wave: Weschler - subtests Third-wave: attention to differences being statistically significant Fourth-wave: applying theory

dichotomous intelligences

Fluid vs crystallized intelligence Simultaneous vs successive processing Intelligence tests then began following suit

abstract g

General and specific abilities represent different levels of abstraction, Any complex task requires a number of basic abilities

sources of variability

Heritability (h2): Proportion due to genetic influence - .5 (childhood .45>adolescence .75) Between-family (c2): Environmental influences affecting all members of a family - .25 (.35>0) Within-family (m2): Environmental influences affecting family members differently - .25 (.2>.25)

What are some variables, other than a genuine decline in verbal ability, that might lead to a lower VCI score when the client is tested a second time the WAIS-IV?

If you age into the next age group, you could have the same performance but end up with a lower score Rapport Administration & scoring differences Testing environment

Verbal - Performance distinction pre-WAIS-IV

Language-nonlanguage Auditory-visual Previous learning-new situations Unspeeded-speeded response

multiple intelligences

More complete fluid vs crystallized intelligence model Carroll three-stratum (g is the third stratum)

What should you do if, in error, you fail to reverse appropriately on a Wechsler subtest that requires reversal and do not note your mistake until after the administration is completed?

Omit the subtest from IQ score calculations, prorating or substituting appropriately, but consider the person's performance in your report.

Primary Mental Abilities

PMAs Thurstone

Which index shows greatest decline in those over age 65?

PSI

spoiled response

Person says something after query that indicates they don't actually know the answer (0 score)

neuropsychological evidence for Verbal vs Nonverbal intelligence

Right hemisphere damage commonly shows VCI > PRI pattern Left hemisphere damage to speech areas often shows PRI > VCI pattern Logic doesn't support inferring damage from pattern alone

psychological testing vs assessment

Testing - compared to the norm, individual as compared to a group. Reliability & validity more important here. Technical skills with administration and scoring Assessment - to answer question about the client, individual-focused. Conceptual skills related to integrating data from various sources. Testing is one source of information to make an assessment A multi-step process of formulating and testing hypotheses related to a referral question Problem Clarification, Data collection, Interpretation

VCI vs PRI patterns

VCI > PRI Emphasis on achievement Hard work May be less able to deal with "surprises" PRI > VCI Cultural disadvantage Learning disability

mutualism model of g

Various cognitive factors that interact with eachother. It looks like there is somebody up there, " a little person directing everything (g)", but we can actually concetpualize intelligence as this interaction that makes it appear as if there is a g. G is not a thing Beneficial interactions between uncorrelated cognitive modules or processes A single general factor accounts for correlations in simulations based on model

When to use WISC vs WAIS for a 16 y/o?

WISC is we believe their cognitive ability is below average WAIS if above average

Changes in assessment of WM and PS in WAIS-IV

Working memory and processing speed assessment were enhanced on WAIS-IV compared to WAIS-III - more sections now devoted to it (VC and PR's contribution to variance is now less) WM - 2/11 -> 2/10 PS - 1/11 -> 2/10 (this one's influence increased the most out of all the sections)

freedom from distractability

aka WMI Wieliewicz (1990) concluded that the 3rd factor reflects: executive function and short-term (or working) memory processes, including planning, monitoring, and evaluating task performance.

digit span

attention, auditory processing, mental manipulation

general intelligence

average level of all the independent components that contribute to such tasks Contrasts with Spearman's view of "g" as a single ability common to all tasks

professional activity as applied science

basic science > applied research > technology > professional application > client

FSIQ

best estimate of overall cognitive ability, mean 100 SD 15

CPI

cognitive proficiency index includes working memory and processing speed reasoning is that cognitive proficiency reduces cognitive load, which frees up space for higher cognition

vocabulary

define words presented and read aloud by the examiner verbal concept formation, language dvlpment, word knowledge, long term memory

concrete g

g represents a single ability common to all complex task performance grounded in biology (nervous system)

how Binet measured intelligence

half of the children at one age pass an item determines adequate difficulty

GAI

has highest g loadings, represents 'higher' cognitiion

applied science vs disciplined inquiry

models of professional practice applied science - modern positivism, apply info to solve human problems, top down disciplined inquiry - flow of information both directions in practice, bottom up

most common administration error in WAIS-IV

neglecting to query responses that should be queried

most common recording error in WAIS-IV

neglecting to record examinee's verbatim response

psychometric g

non controversial, can be extracted from any set of cognitive test data using appropriate analytic techniques

information

questions addressing a broad range of general knowledge fund of knowledge, long-term memory and retrieval, verbal comprehension, crystallized intelligence

block design

reproduce picture designs using specially designed blocks non-verbal reasoning, analysis and synthesis, visual perception and organization, visual-motor coordination

Similarities

require that the individual describes how two common objects or concepts are similar verbal concept formation, abstract verbal reasoning, categorical thinking, &ability to distinguish between non-essential & essential features

matrix reasoning

select missing section from five response choices fluid intelligence, visuospatial ability, simultaneous processing, perceptual organization

figure weights

select response option that would keep a pictured scale in balance fluid reasoning, quantitative reasoning

visual puzzles

select three response options that could be combined to reproduce a geometric image perceptual reasoning, visuospatial ability, analysis and synthesis, simultaneous processing

'hot' intelligences

social, emotional, practical, multiple not empirically supported as much as g (reliability/validity)

intelligence

the global or aggregate ability to act purposefully to think rationally and to deal effectively with the environment

sum of scale scores

the raw scores of the subtests are converted to standard scores, & then each scaled score is summed to create the sum of the individual tests (subtests/indices)

comprehension

understanding of basic principles and social situations verbal conceptualization, verbal expression, practical knowledge, social judgment, crystallized intelligence, common sense

coding

visuomotor processing speed, short-term visual memory, learning ability, cognitive flexibility, attention, concentration, & motivation

symbol search

visuomotor processing speed, short-term visual memory, visual discrimination, attention, concentration

cancellation

visuomotor processing speed, visual selective attention, visual neglect

Thorndike's view of intelligence

vs. Spearman abstract, social, practical