An important part of cognitive status evaluation is the determination of general cognitive ability. However, the most common tests are not standardized for use in Ecuador. This has limited the extent and accuracy of clinical neuropsychological assessments within the country. We used the 7-subtest Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV) with 155 mainly city-living Ecuadorian adults, recruited from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds around 4 different sites in Ecuador. The sample was matched to the Ecuadorian urban population for gender, education, and ethnicity. We show that this version of the WAIS-IV is a reliable and valid assessment for this context. In addition, we provide a method to adjust standard scores derived from the Spanish population, and used in the WAIS-IV manual, so that they are more appropriate for use in Ecuador. These can potentially be used to calculate full IQ scores. We also describe methods of comparing the Ecuador-adjusted standard scores so that they can be used in clinical neuropsychological evaluations of Ecuadorian adults.
intelligence
Uso de la Escala de Inteligencia de Adultos de Wechsler-IV para la evaluación neuropsicológicas en Ecuador. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV for use in Neuropsychological Assessments in Ecuador
Estructura Factorial del Funcionamiento Neuropsicológico en la Discapacidad Intelectual Leve en Niños. Factorial Structure Of Neuropsychological Functioning In Mild Intellectual Disability In Children.
An exploratory factor analysis was performed to establish the factor structure of neuropsychological functioning in mild intellectual disability in children. It was a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study. Eighty children with a diagnosis of mild intellectual disability were included. An extensive battery of neuropsychological tests was applied. An Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed to identify the main factors. The results showed that mild intellectual disability in children has a structure in which the neuropsychological functions associated with executive functioning explain 56% of the variance and have a factor priority over 13%, which explains the variables associated with two traditional tests for assess intelligence. Each factor is analyzed and discussed from clinical and experimental neuropsychology. The study findings have theoretical and clinical implications for differential diagnosis.
