DEVELOPMENT OF LITERACY-BASED NORMATIVE DATA FOR THE WESTERN APHASIA BATTERY (WAB-K)

A noteworthy discovery pertains to the possibility of misdiagnosing anomic aphasia as a false positive, especially in individuals who are illiterate and have normal performance on all subtests except for naming. The study highlights the need of considering literacy levels when assessing WAB-K results in order to avoid making inaccurate diagnoses. The percentile scores in the appendix provide a method for evaluating individual performance on each subtest and can aid in identifying language anomalies in non-aphasic brain-injured individuals, such as those with dementia. This research provides normative data on the WAB-K for individuals aged 45 and above who are illiterate, semi-literate, or literate. The results highlight the potential constraints of specific subgroups in persons with low literacy levels, underscoring the significance of include literacy level information while administering the WAB-K test to ensure accurate diagnostic interpretation, especially in cases with anomic aphasia. Percentile ratings are a valuable method for evaluating individuals with language impairments who are not experiencing aphasia in clinical environments.