Wechsler Intelligence Scales

The Wechsler intelligence scales are a suite of comprehensive intelligence tests that are individually administered and used to assess children, adolescents, and adults. This suite includes the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI), and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). These tests are the most widely used intelligence tests for children, adolescents, and adults in the United States and internationally. Before discussing each of these tests in turn, this entry provides information about their creator, David Wechsler (1896–1981), an American psychologist, and presents his views of intelligence. The entry concludes by examining the scales’ psychometric properties.

Wechsler’s Innovations

In 1939, Wechsler created the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale (W-B). The W-B drew heavily ...

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