Profile Analysis with the Wechsler Scales

Abstract

Despite the overwhelming evidence that mitigates against the use of profile analysis, the practice of diagnosing specific cognitive or processing disabilities continues. The reason that profile analysis remains popular is probably because school psychologists are simply unfamiliar with the literature. They have a difficult time understanding the notion of g, along with its implications. Generally, the users of profile analysis assume that because the IQ tests, particularly the WISC scales, generate scores from subtests that differ in content, they must be measuring different types of cognitive abilities, and therefore the profile of these cognitive abilities should be diagnostically important. Finally, they find profile analysis more socially acceptable in that it implies the existence of multiple intelligences. The notion that a single IQ score captures all that is meaningful and practical about the IQ test is simply not acceptable, regardless of evidence to the contrary.