As a child, you were likely provided with some form of standardized tests that help to determine characteristics about your personality, interest you may have, even your aptitude for learning. The goal of these tests was not intended to pigeonhole you, but was to provide students with some guidelines on what occupational track might be best for them. It was to help them to have greater success when they got older.
The WAIS – One Such Test
One such test is the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, also known as the WAIS test. This test was designed by David Wechsler, who believed that many of the standard intelligence tests that were being used were limiting in their usefulness and effectiveness. Plus, he found that tests, such as the Stanford-Binet Intelligence test was geared towards children, making them of no use for adults.
This led Wechsler to create an entirely new test. He introduced this in 1955, looking to overcome many of the deficiencies in standard intelligence tests. One such example was that the Stanford-Binet scale used a single number to determine intelligence. Wechsler found this to be ridiculous, as it did not include several other factors related to intelligence. While a single number is provided at the end of the scale, it includes several other scores before reaching this number.
Since 1955, three other versions of the test have been designed. In 2008, the WAIS-IV was created. This included 10 main subtests as well as five supplemental tests. The 10 core tests are then used to create the overall score. These subtests include areas such as processing speed, working memory, verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, and much more.
Why This Test Matters
Truth be told, no standardized test is going to accurately predict the results of everyone. The human brain is a complex organ, and even the very best tests are limiting in their ability to provide an accurate representation of someone’s intellectual capabilities.
However, tests like the WAIS, especially when they are more inclusive in terms of the information that is obtained, can be a valuable tool in helping psychologists to help provide meaningful therapy for individuals, couples, and groups. By having a better understanding of how one is able to dissect and analyse information, the psychologist can then cater the therapeutic treatment plan so that the patient is more likely to thrive from the plan.
The WAIS is frequently used by psychologists to help assess the cognitive functioning of individuals who are either in a psychiatric institution or are undergoing psychiatric care. It is especially useful for those who have suffered some form of brain injury, letting the psychologist or psychiatrist know the level of dysfunction that may have occurred as a result of the injury. In this way, it becomes a valuable diagnostic tool that benefits the psychologist in helping the patient to become more independent and improve thought processes in spite of the injury.
As one can see, this test is not an absolute indicator of a person’s intelligence and their ability to thrive in an environment. However, it is a valuable tool that can help psychologists, psychiatrists, and other researchers to care for patients and develop plans that can best benefit the individual, couple, or group.