A Validated Seven-Subtest Short Form for the WAIS-IV

This study presents a short form of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV; Wechsler, 2008 ) using the subtests (Block Design, Similarities, Digit Span, Arithmetic, Information, Coding, and Picture Completion) suggested by Ward ( 1990 ). These seven subtests were used to predict the full WAIS-IV Full-Scale IQ, as well as the Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed Index scores. Two different data sets were used: the first consisted of 70 subjects and the second consisted of 32 subjects. The first data set was used to create a linear regression and the second data set was used to validate the results and compare to the prorated score method from the WAIS-IV manual. The prorated estimated scores correlated significantly with their counterparts and proved to be a better method of estimating the Full-Scale IQ and most of the index scores, but the regression equation was better at predicting the Processing Speed Index. The current study is consistent with the Ward ( 1990 ) and Pilgrim, Meyers, Bayless, & Whetstone (1999) studies and represents a reliable and valid way of assessing intellectual functioning in an abbreviated format.