WAIS-III Matrix Reasoning test performance in a mixed clinical sample

This study examined the relationship between the Matrix Reasoning subtest (MRT) of the WAIS-III and a selected number of neuropsychological tests in a heterogeneous clinical sample of English-speaking American (n = 41), and non-English-speaking immigrant (n = 14) adults. A moderate association between the Halstead Category Test and the MRT (-.58) was found in the English-speaking sample. Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant association between measures of verbal abstract reasoning and verbal fluency, and performance on the MRT. Among the immigrant sample, the MRT was also found to be significantly associated with verbal fluency task performance, as well as with the Comprehensive Test of Nonverbal Intelligence. Correlational analyses therefore suggest a strong verbal mediation element in the MRT, and that labeling it a nonverbal task may be misleading.