An assessment of WISC-IIIUK on children with HIV infection

Abstract

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Third Edition UK test was administered to groups of children between the ages of 6 and 12 years with vertically transmitted HIV infection ( n = 70) and a control group who were not infected by the virus ( n = 70). The study was conducted in India. The two groups were matched for general verbal abilities, age and gender. The children were assessed for Verbal IQ, Performance IQ and Full-Scale IQ. The Verbal Comprehension Index, Perceptual Organization Index and Freedom from Distractibility Index were also obtained. A three-factor analysis of variance disclosed that school-age children with vertically transmitted HIV infection notched below in the areas of Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, Full-Scale IQ, Verbal Comprehension Index, Perceptual Organization Index and Freedom from Distractibility Index when collated with normal uninfected cohorts. Findings are discussed in the light of both theoretical and clinical implications.