title: Factor structure of the Chinese version of the WAIS-R for Chinese adults in the lowest percentiles of IQ.
abstract: The Chinese version of the WAIS-R was factor analyzed for a sample of 130 Chinese adults in Hong Kong who had low intellectual abilities. All subtests except the Vocabulary subtest were included for analyses. Results supported a three-factor solution composed of Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, and Memory/Freedom from Distractibility Factors, as well as a two-factor solution of classic Verbal-Perceptual dichotomy. Comparison of present two- and three-factor structure with individuals having low or normal IQ in Mainland China and North America revealed satisfactory congruence coefficients. However, our general factor accounted for only a small portion of common and total variance (28.5% and 35.3% respectively). Error variances of our subtests were large when compared to normative samples of Mainland China and US. Results were discussed in terms of clinical interpretation of the WAIS-R subtests, danger of using short-forms to assess IQ and need for normative studies of WAIS-R in Chinese-speaking countries.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012759:Sheltered Workshops; D014481:United States; D014888:Wechsler Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*