The WISC-IV Operational Memory Index in the Assessment of ADHD

Abstract The objective of the present study was to analyze the sensitivity of the “Operational Memory Index” (OMI) of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children- 4th Edition in the identification of difficulties in children and adolescents with the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Participants included forty subjects, between 06 and 16 years old, with a previous neurological diagnosis of ADHD. We used the Swanson Attention Scale, Nolan and Pelham - 4th Edition (SNAP-IV) Parent Rating Scale for parents/guardians and the WISC-IV subtests that form the Operational Memory Index (Digits, Arithmetic and Sequence of Numbers and Letters). Among the results, IMO was lower when compared to the expected score for the general population and in Digits there was a lower performance by the group. It was concluded that the Operational Memory Index is adequate to diagnose and evaluate attention and memory deficits in children and adolescents with ADHD.