Equivalence of the Wisc-r aNd Wais-r in dElinquent Males

Abstract

A sample of 55 black and white male delinquents was randomly assigned to take either the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). The two tests did not show significant differences in mean Verbal, Performance, or Full Scale IQs, but a test by race interaction consistently suggested that the scores of blacks were lower on the WISC-R than on the WAIS-R disproportionately to whites. Greater mean Performance IQ minus Verbal IQ differences were seen on the WISC-R than on the WAIS-R, and frequency analysis revealed a greater number of youths with a significant Performance minus Verbal difference on the WISC-R. These results suggest that use of the WAIS-R may be preferable to use of the WISC-R in 16-year-old delinquent males, and the possibility of relative racial bias in the WISC-R should be considered.