FACTOR STRUCTURE OF THE WECHSLER ADULT INTELLIGENCE SCALE - REVISED IN A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY SAMPLE

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) protocols administe red to 102 traumatically brain injured (TBI) patients an average of 9. 74 months post-injury were factor analyzed using principal axes factor ing with varimax rotation. Although high levels of congruence with psy chiatric and standardization samples were achieved, Wechsler's Verbal/ Performance dichotomy, strictly defined, did not hold in this sample. In addition, the third factor, consisting of Digit Span, Arithmetic, D igit Symbol and Picture Arrangement, replicated a factor analytic stud y using psychiatric patients. Clinicians should utilize caution when a pplying standard interpretation practices in this population. Future r esearch should investigate factors contributing to WAISR factor struct ure similarities between psychiatric and TBI populations.