Prediction of severity of brain damage by a processing speed variable in older children: a brief report

This paper reports an attempt to predict severity of brain damage, as reflected by neuropsychological test scores, based on subtests of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised Factor analytic derived indices were compared with the Neuropsychological Deficit Scale for Older Children. A sample of 20 normal and heterogeneously brain-damaged children (12 males and eight females) aged 9-14, who have been administered the complete Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery for Older Children, were selected from case records. The hit rates obtained for agreement on level of severity with the Older Children's Neuropsychological Deficit Score was best for Processing Speed (70%), worst for Freedom from Distraction (45%), and intermediate for Perceptual Organization (65%) and Verbal Comprehension (55%).