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The Evolution of the Wechsler Memory Scale: A Selective Review.

¹a Genesis Psychology Associates , Davenport , Iowa.

Applied Neuropsychology. Adult

|March 1, 2013

Summary

The Wechsler Memory Scale has been a popular memory assessment tool since the 1940s. Despite its widespread use, this review highlights persistent shortcomings in its neuroanatomical basis and factor structure.

Keywords:

Wechsler Memory Scale assessment/diagnosis memory tests

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Area of Science:

Psychological Assessment
Neuropsychology
Cognitive Psychology

Background:

The Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) has a long clinical history, introduced in 1945 and rapidly gaining popularity.
It evolved into the most frequently used memory test by 1982, a status it maintains.
The WMS has undergone several revisions, with significant updates in 1987, 1997, and 2009.

Purpose of the Study:

To trace the historical origin and evolution of the Wechsler Memory Scale.
To examine psychometric properties including norming, standardization, reliability, and validity across revisions.
To critically evaluate the WMS's current limitations in relation to memory theory and structure.

Main Methods:

Historical review of the Wechsler Memory Scale's development and revisions.
Summary of psychometric data concerning norming, standardization, reliability, and validity.
Critical analysis of the test's theoretical underpinnings and factor structure.

Main Results:

The Wechsler Memory Scale has demonstrated sustained popularity and widespread use in clinical psychology.
Analysis reveals ongoing issues with norming, standardization, reliability, and validity across its history.
The underlying factor structure of the WMS has remained largely unchanged despite revisions.

Conclusions:

The Wechsler Memory Scale continues to be a widely used measure of memory function.
Significant shortcomings persist, notably a lack of grounding in explicit neuroanatomical memory theories.
The test's enduring factor structure contrasts with changes in its manifest content, raising questions about its construct validity.