King WISC the third assumes the throne

Abstract

The Wechlser Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) is a substantial revision of the WISC-R. Though the same 10 regular subtests compose the battery, a new supplementary measure of processing speed was added (Symbol Search), and a four-factor structure has been proposed to replace the three-factor interpretation that characterizes the WISC-R and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). Thirty-three percent of the items on the regular Verbal subtests are new, as are 38% of the items on the regular Performance subtests (excluding Coding). The WISC-III now boasts excellent color artwork for the formerly black-and-white Picture Completion and Picture Arrangement items. The normative sample is exemplary, and the entire psychometric approach to test development, validation, and interpretation reflects sophisticated, state-of-the-art knowledge and competence. There are four main limitations of the revised battery: (a) Too much emphasis is given to an examinee's speed of responding; (b) David Wechsler's favorite items, the ones with clinical content such as Fight and Burglar in Picture Arrangement, were eliminated; (c) subtests stability has dropped from WISC-R to WISC-III, threatening profile interpretation; and (d) the school-related and culture-saturated Verbal tasks penalize bilingual, minority, and learning-disabled children referred for evaluation.