Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV)
The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) is the most advanced test for the measurement of older adolescents and adult’s cognitive ability, released in 2008 (Venus et al., 2019). The original Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale was developed in 1939 by David Wechsler (Drozdick et al., 2018). The WAIS-IV is comprised of ten core subtests in varied formats and five supplemental subtests and takes an estimated sixty to ninety minutes to complete the WAIS-IV test (Peyre et al., 2016). This advanced version has a novel index, the General Ability Index (GAI). GAI measures scores from Block Design, Similarities, Reasoning, Vocabulary, Visual Puzzles Subtests, Information, and Matrix. Additionally, WAIS-IV also provides overall summary scores for Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ), thus surpassing the formerly commonly preferred Stanford-Binet of the 1960s.
The WAIS-IV is employable among individuals aged between 16 and 90 years. However, for individuals under 16 years, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) can be used for those between 6 and 16 years of age (Drozdick et al., 2018). Furthermore, for individuals aged between 2½ and seven years and those aged seven months, the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) is preferred. Additionally, WAIS-IV is also employable in the diagnosis of dementia, in Psychiatric facilities, and the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Venus et al., 2019).
Career Assessment Inventory
The career assessment inventory (CAI) is a testing technique for college-bound and non-college-bound. CAI compares individual’s workplace interests against other individuals’ currently employed in one of the 111 careers in their database (Elosua, 2007). Charles Johansson initially published CAI in 1975 (Salkind, 2012). This assessment instrument is a useful guide for college-bound and non-college-bound in identifying and making career choices that best satisfy their career interests. CAI is helpful to individuals aged 15 years and older (Elosua, 2007). This fact implies that students in their 8th grade are eligible to use this professional interest inventory assessment tool. There currently exist two versions of the CAI, namely; the Vocational Version, and The Enhanced Version. The Enhanced version, for example, is a 370-item report that uses a 5-point scale to record response and takes 35 to 40 minutes to complete (Elosua, 2007). The administration could be conducted online or in a paper-and-pencil format. CAI is, therefore, most suitable for application in the context of high school students to guide them in settling for careers that best fit their interests.
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, 2 (MMPI-2)
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is a psychopathological or personality trait assessment tool used in the clinical evaluation of an individual’s mental health. The first version of the MMPI was developed in the 1930s and was further amended and updated in 1989 to advance its veracity as well as enhance legality (Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2011). The current version, MMPI-2, is comprised of 567 true-false questions and takes between 60 to 90 minutes to complete and was updated in 2009. MMPI-2 is an advanced version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) that was published in 2008 and contains 338 true-false questions that take 35 to 50 minutes to administer (Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2011).
As outlined above, the MMPI-2 is widely used within mental health, clinical, and employment contexts. As a mental health professional, I would prefer the use of MMPI-2 in assessing the mental health of my patients. In other employment settings such as the legal environment, defense attorneys use MMPI-2 in the assessment of an accused individual’s mental conditions before taking the plea in a criminal proceeding.
References
Ben-Porath, Y. S. & Tellegen, A. (2011). Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2–Restructured Form. https://www.pearsonassessments.com/store/usassessments/en/Store/Professional-Assessments/Personality-%26-Biopsychosocial/Minnesota-Multiphasic-Personality-Inventory-2-Restructured-Form/p/100000631.html
Drozdick, L. W., Raiford, S. E., Wahlstrom, D., & Weiss, L. G. (2018). The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Fourth Edition and the Wechsler Memory Scale—Fourth Edition.
Elosua, P. (2007). Assessing vocational interests in the Basque Country using paired comparison design. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 71(1), 135-145.
Peyre, H., Ramus, F., Melchior, M., Forhan, A., Heude, B., Gauvrit, N., & EDEN Mother-Child Cohort Study Group. (2016). Emotional, behavioral and social difficulties among high-IQ children during the preschool period: Results of the EDEN mother–child cohort. Personality and Individual Differences, 94, 366-371.
Salkind, N. (2012). Encyclopedia of Measurement and Statistics. Encyclopedia of Measurement and Statistics. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412952644
Venus, W. S., Crabtree, J., Islam, S., & Stott, J. (2019). Comparing Intellectual and Memory Abilities of Older Autistic Adults with Typically Developing Older Adults Using WAIS-IV and WMS-IV. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 49(10), 4123-4133.