Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence | Second Edition

I like the WASI. How is the WASI–II different?

• Updated normative sample: Norms are representative of today’s population and extend to 90:11.
• Simplified administration and scoring
  • Shorter discontinue rules
  • Reversal rules are more user-friendly and more consistent with comprehensive Wechsler intelligence scales
  • Directions organized in a more streamlined fashion and reading instructions shortened by 40%
  • Stimulus Book enhancements improve user-friendliness:
    • Stimulus book now flips forward toward the examinee rather than backward toward you, making the pages easier to turn in situations where the testing surface is too wide.
    • Improved coil of the Stimulus Book makes pages easier to turn and binding more durable.
• Closer parallels to WISC–IV and WAIS–IV:
  • Across the four subtests, 20-40% of the WASI–II items are new or revised.
  • Composite score names now reflect updated and consistent terminology with WISC–IV and WAIS–IV. For example:
    • VIQ (Verbal IQ) → VCI (Verbal Comprehension Index)
    • PIQ (Performance IQ) → PRI (Perceptual Reasoning Index)
• Updated versions of WASI subtests
  • Similarities subtest floor (easy items) improved with new picture item type; as well as updates to items with close attention to vocabulary level of words and content that reflects abstract concepts and reasoning.
  • Matrix Reasoning subtest more similar to WISC–IV with realistic picture items.
  • Block Design subtest ceiling (hard items) stronger with new and innovative items.
  • Vocabulary subtest updated with new art as well as new ceiling items.

How can I maximize my use of the WASI–II with the WISC–IV and the WAIS–IV?

Because the WASI–II is linked to both the WISC–IV and the WAIS–IV, and provides unique items and subtests that also parallel the comprehensive measures, there are opportunities to maximize the clinical utility of these tests while saving you and your clients time.

The WASI–II can be used either before or after the comprehensive measures for situations in which multiple evaluations must be conducted. Because the items are unique to the WASI–II, practice effects are avoided.

The WASI–II can also be used as a screening measure to determine if comprehensive intellectual assessment with WISC–IV or the WAIS–IV is necessary. WASI–II subtest scores can be substituted for the corresponding WISC–IV or WAIS–IV subtest scores because the WASI–II subtests are statistically equated to the corresponding WISC–IV and WAIS–IV subtests. More specifically, the WASI–II subtest T scores can be converted to scaled score units and used in comprehensive FSIQ derivation.