Wechsler Test Wechsler Ethical and Cultural Considerations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A psychologist administers the WAIS-IV to a client whose primary language is Spanish using English-only items. What is the main ethical concern?
- Test validity is compromised because language affects performance (Correct answer)
- The test takes too long to complete
- The client may enjoy the test less
- Scoring becomes mathematically impossible
Correct answer: Test validity is compromised because language affects performance
Administering a test in a language the examinee does not fully command threatens validity and can underestimate true ability.
Question 2: Under APA ethical standards, when must informed consent be obtained before Wechsler testing?
- Only after scoring is complete
- Before the assessment begins, except where legally mandated (Correct answer)
- Only if the client requests it
- Never, since IQ tests are routine
Correct answer: Before the assessment begins, except where legally mandated
Informed consent must generally be obtained before assessment unless testing is mandated by law or for routine institutional activity.
Question 3: A clinician notices a Wechsler subtest contains culturally specific vocabulary unfamiliar to a recent immigrant. The best practice is to:
- Ignore it and report the raw score
- Consider cultural bias when interpreting results (Correct answer)
- Inflate the score to compensate
- Discard the entire test
Correct answer: Consider cultural bias when interpreting results
Examiners should account for potential cultural bias when interpreting scores to avoid misrepresenting ability.
Question 4: Test security under ethical guidelines requires psychologists to:
- Share full test items online for transparency
- Protect test materials from public disclosure (Correct answer)
- Give clients copies of all questions
- Publish answer keys in journals
Correct answer: Protect test materials from public disclosure
Maintaining test security protects the integrity and validity of standardized instruments like the Wechsler scales.
Question 5: Which practice best reduces cultural bias when assessing a child with the WISC-V?
- Using only the Verbal Comprehension Index
- Considering norms and supplementary measures relevant to the child's background (Correct answer)
- Doubling the time limits for all subtests
- Skipping nonverbal subtests
Correct answer: Considering norms and supplementary measures relevant to the child's background
Using appropriate norms and considering background information helps produce a fairer, more valid interpretation.
Question 6: A psychologist is asked to interpret WAIS-IV results outside their area of competence. Ethically, they should:
- Proceed anyway to avoid delay
- Refer to or consult a qualified professional (Correct answer)
- Guess at the interpretation
- Refuse to keep any records
Correct answer: Refer to or consult a qualified professional
Psychologists must work within their boundaries of competence, seeking consultation or referral when needed.
Question 7: Why is it ethically problematic to use outdated Wechsler norms (the 'Flynn effect')?
- Old norms make tests cheaper
- Outdated norms can overestimate current IQ scores (Correct answer)
- Old norms shorten administration time
- Norms never change over time
Correct answer: Outdated norms can overestimate current IQ scores
The Flynn effect means population scores rise over time, so outdated norms inflate estimated IQ and can affect high-stakes decisions.
Wechsler Test Wechsler Ethical and Cultural Considerations 2
A psychologist administers the WAIS-IV to a client whose primary language is Spanish using English-only items.
What is the main ethical concern?