Equivalence of alternate subtests for the Russell Revision of the Wechsler Memory Scale

Two studies were conducted to examine the adequacy of the Visual Reproduction and Logical Memory Subtests of Form II of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-II) as an alternate form for Russell's Revision of the WMS (RWMS). An archival data study on 46 inpatient alcoholics revealed greater pre-/post-treatment differences on Immediate Figural Recall scores for participants tested first on the RWMS, compared with participants tested first on the alternate subtests. In a second study, both forms were administered to 60 noninstitutionalized examinees. Immediate Figural Recall was again higher for subtests from WMS-II; Immediate and Delayed Semantic Recall were higher for RWMS. Data indicate apparent problems in the use of subtests of WMS-II as an alternate form for RWMS.