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.摘要 本研究旨在分析韦氏儿童智力量表第四版（Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-4th Edition, WISC-IV）的工作记忆指数（Operational Memory Index, OMI）在识别注意缺陷多动障碍（Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD）儿童青少年认知困难中的敏感性。本研究纳入40名年龄介于6至16岁、既往经神经科确诊为ADHD的受试者。研究采用斯万森注意量表、诺兰与佩尔汉姆第四版父母评定量表（Swanson Attention Scale, Nolan and Pelham - 4th Edition, SNAP-IV）对受试者的父母/监护人进行评估，并使用构成WISC-IV工作记忆指数的三个分测验：数字广度、算术以及数字与字母序列测验。结果显示，受试者的工作记忆指数得分低于普通人群的预期得分，且在数字广度分测验中该组受试者表现更差。本研究结论表明，工作记忆指数可有效用于诊断及评估ADHD儿童青少年的注意与记忆缺陷。