Age effects on Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) indexes and subtests

• Published in: Applied neuropsychology. Adult Vol. ahead-of-print; no. ahead-of-print; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Ryan, Joseph J., Gontkovsky, Samuel T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 01.06.2023
• Subjects: Age effects; memory; standardization sample; WMS-IV; standardization sample; Age effects; WMS–IV; memory
• ISSN: 2327-9095; 2327-9109
• DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2023.2217461

This study examined age effects in the standardization samples of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) and compared these, where appropriate, to the norms of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition (WMS-III). On the Adult (16-69 years) and Older Adult (65-90 years) batteries of the WMS-IV, the most pronounced declines were on the Visual Memory Indexes starting in the 35-44 years cohort. The Auditory Memory Indexes showed the least deterioration, which did not commence until the 85-90 years age range. Subtest scores for the Adult Battery indicated that Logical Memory I was unchanged from 16 to 69 years. Likewise, only one scaled score point decline was evidenced on Logical Memory II. Conversely, WMS-III Logical Memory I performance showed a one scaled score point decline in the 18-19 years age band and progressed to moderate (i.e., 4 scaled score points) and large (i.e., ≥6 scaled score points) reductions by the 65-69 and ≥80 years cohorts. Logical Memory II showed even greater age-related deterioration. Age decline data at each age cohort are provided for all subtests and indexes from the Adult and Older Adult batteries as well as for the WMS-III subtests in common with the WMS-IV.