Cognitive assessments

Question 1

What does the WAIS-5 stand for?

Answer 1

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (Version 5)

Question 2

What does the WAIS-IV measure?

Answer 2

It measures general cognitive functioning - and estimates premorbid ability.

Question 3

How is general cognitive function statistically defined in the WAIS-5?

Answer 3

The shared variance between cognitive tests.

Question 4

How many subsets are there within the WAIS-5?

Answer 4

consists of 15 subtests, but only 10 are considered core.

Question 5

WAIS-5 provides four main index scores, what are they?

Answer 5

Verbal comprehension
Perceptual reasoning
Working memory
Processing speed

Question 6

What sort of things are assessed in the verbal comprehension index scale?

Answer 6

Similarities
Vocab
Information
Comprehension

Question 7

What are assessed in the perceptual reasoning index scale?

Answer 7

Block design
Matrix reasoning
Visual puzzles

Question 8

What are assessed in the working memory index scale?

Answer 8

Digit span
Arithmetic
Letter-number sequencing

Question 9

What are assessed in the processing speed index scale?

Answer 9

Symbol speech
Coding

Question 10

What are the requirements for diagnosing a learning disability?

Answer 10

IQ less than 70 and impairment in two areas: communication, self-care, home living, social skills, self direction, work, leisure, health and safety

Question 11

What are some of the other purposes of the assessment?

Answer 11

Diagnosis and localisation of brain injury/disease

Differentiating psychiatric and neurological disorders

Monitoring the effects of treatment

Prognosis following injury/disease
Care planning and rehab

Educational planning
Strengths and weaknesses in children

Occupational Planning

Safety of others – Responsibility for a crime

Entitlement to compensation

Question 12

What does TOPF stand for?

Answer 12

Test of premorbid functioning

Question 13

What percentage of homeless people exhibit global cognitive deficits?

Answer 13

4% to 7% of homeless people exhibit global cognitive deficits (Burra et al, 2009)

Question 14

What’s the mean IQ of the homeless population?

Answer 14

Mean IQ index of 84.8 (Depp et al, 2015)

Question 15

What are the main causes of cognitive difficulties?

Answer 15

Evidence suggests:
Severe mental health problems
Developmentally poor cognition
Brain injury
Alcohol

Question 16

What percentage of homeless adults would fulfill a formal diagnosis of intellectual disability?

Answer 16

5-39% (Rough estimate)

Question 17

What was the lifetime prevalence of a traumatic brain injury in the homeless?

Answer 17

53.1%

Question 18

What are the current findings with regard to whether homeless people suffer brain injury before homelessness or during?

Answer 18

-70-90% suffer brain injury before homelessness (Stone et al, 2019)
-37.2% of homeless adults suffered a brain injury during 3-year follow-ups (Nikoo et al, 2017)

Question 19

What are the most common cause of brain injury in homeless?

Answer 19

Most studies find assault to be the most common cause
Some evidence of substance use leading to falls to be another important cause (Topolovec-Vranic et al, 2014)

Question 20

Study of 266 hostel homeless in Glasgow (Gilchrist and Morrison, 2005) showed what?

Answer 20

82% had cognitive impairment
78% were drinking hazardously
21% had alcohol-related brain damage