WAIS-III VIQ-PIQ and VCI-POI discrepancies in lateralized cerebral damage

We evaluated Verbal IQ (VIQ)-Performance IQ (PIQ) and Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)-Perceptual Organization Index (POI) discrepancies among 16 patients with right-sided and 20 with left-sided cerebral lesions. Means for age and education among left hemisphere-damaged patients were 46.25 years (SD = 17.42) and 12.17 years (SD = 2.87). Means and standard deviations for age and education were 47.86 years (SD = 16.83) and 12.27 years (SD = 2.46) for those with right-sided damage. Left hemisphere lesions produced nonsignificant VIQ < PIQ and VCI < POI means, whereas right hemisphere damage resulted in significant VIQ > PIQ and VCI > POI mean discrepancies. Additional analyses indicated that neither discrepancy score was effective in identifying lateralized brain damage.