This study investigated the utility of the Cornell Medical Index when used with three types of VA Ss: N P patients, medical and surgical patients (GM&S), and domiciliary members (D). A brief description was given of the domiciliary as an institution and of the characteristics of its membership. Item transparency, response sets, and /or situational factors were seen as possible sources of distortion. On the basis of research findings and clinical experience, certain predictions were made regarding how these three groups should respond to the CMI with a research "set" and in an evaluation situation with implicit or explicit differential action being an outcome.In a research set sample, the relationship generally held that N P > GM&S > D, five out of six comparisons being statistically significant. However, the D Ss failed to score more deviantly than GM&S Ss as was predicted.A file search yielded Ss in each category who had been referred for evaluation for differential action. Each type of S was compared to his counterpart in both the evaluation and research set sample. Evaluation GM&S and N P Ss scored lower than research set GM&S and NP Ss as was predicted. Evaluation D 5's scored higher than research set D Ss; no prediction was made here because of confounded motivations. Both the research set and evaluation samples had frequency distributions considerably displaced toward higher scores than other samples reported in the literature.The results lead us to conclude that the suitability of the CMI as a screening device reasonably free from situational and motivational factors is seriously questioned. However, if this reasoning is not accepted by the reader, the minimal conclusion is that cutting scores reported in the literature should be used with caution and a strong need for local norms is indicated. REFERENCES 1. 2. FOQEL, E. J. Swepsten, E. R., et al. Problems of the aging: Conclusions derived from two years of inhrdisciphary study of domiciliary members in a Veterans Administration Center. Amer. J . Psychiat., 1956, 118 724-730. 3. LAWTON, M. P. ! h e screening value of the Cornell Medical Index. J . consult. Psychol., 1959, g.9, 352-356. 4. MOSLINQ, J. The influence of situational and interpersonal variables in projective testing. P clwl. Bull., 1960, 67, 65-85. 5. ?eterans Adminiitration. Veterans i n V A Domiciliaries. A profile study.
PROBLEMThis study evaluates whether Information, Digit Span, Arithmetic, and Picture Completion might represent acceptable samplings of overall efficiency of the WAIS Full scale. "Efficiency" can denote whether a test consists of items required to perform a specific job of measurement.An inefficient test could include items which probe knowledge more representative of some subcultural settings than others, are subject to ambiguous scoring procedures, or are otherwise influenced by extraneous factors, not permitting a stable 'Now at NP, USPHS Outpatient Clinic, Washington, D. C.