title: Intrasubtest scatter on the WAIS-III information subtest and psychometrically defined retrieval deficits.
abstract: Milberg, et al. (1996) postulated that significant intrasubtest scatter on the Wechsler Information subtest reflects impaired retrieval. From a pool of 205 male referrals at a VA medical center with complete WAIS-III and WMS-III protocols, 28 participants with impaired retrieval (Group I) defined by a high Retrieval Composite score were identified. A sample (Group II) without similar evidence of impaired retrieval was matched to Group I on age, education, Full Scale IQ, race, and diagnosis. Intrasubtest scatter on the Information subtest was the same across groups (Group I M = 6.3, SD = 2.7; Group II M = 6.9, SD = 3.4). A second study identified impaired retrieval using the WMS-III Word Lists subtest. 21 participants (Group III) had impaired retrieval indicated by a Recognition scaled score being > or = 4 points higher than the Delayed Recall scaled score. A matched sample (Group IV) of VA patients without similar evidence of impaired retrieval was constituted. Intrasubtest scatter on the Information subtest did not differ across groups (Group III M = 6.6, SD = 2.4; Group IV M = 6.0, SD = 2.5). Evaluations of the retrieval deficit hypothesis should be based on responses of participants whose Information performance is characterized by abnormal amounts of intrasubtest scatter. It is possible that a specific amount of response variability must be present within the subtest before retrieval problems can be detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Counselor Education, Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg 64093-5089, USA. ryan@cmsu1.cmsu.edu
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Arb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014888:Wechsler Scales