Multiple choice vocabulary test MWT as a valid and short test to estimate premorbid intelligence

Abstract

The discrepancy between current and premorbid ability is a relevant indicator of acquired mental impairment, which itself is closely related to general cerebral dysfunction. The use of tests sensitive to cerebral dysfunction, raises relatively few problems compared with tests being resistant that are used to estimate premorbid mental ability. For premorbid ability, verbal tests assessing knowledge, especially vocabulary, have been shown to be valid. A test, possibly more insensitive to brain dysfunction than the ones usually administered, is the multiple choice vocabulary test (MWT = Mehrfachwahl-Wortschatz-Test). At present only German versions are available. They are presented in some detail because of their advantages. Construction of the MWT is simple, and it can be easily administered in about five minutes. The results correlate fairly well with global IQ in healthy adults (median of r = 0.72 in 22 samples) and are more insensitive to current disturbances than such tests as the WAIS vocabulary test. The limitations of premorbid tests with respect to diagnostic validity are discussed. It is concluded, that studies which do not control premorbid intelligence have to be considered as a "malpractice" and should not be accepted by scientists.

Amygdala–Hippocampal Connectivity Changes During Acute Psychosocial Stress: Joint Effect of Early Life Stress and Oxytocin

“…The short version of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Wittchen et al, 1997) was used to screen for history of psychiatric or neurological disease. Verbal intelligence was assessed using a German word recognition test (Lehrl et al, 1995;Schmidt and Metzler, 1992), which is functionally equivalent to the widely used National Adult Reading Test (Nelson and O'Connell, 1978). Inclusion criteria were age 18-40 years, absence of present and past diagnosis of psychiatric or neurologic disease, absence of major or unstable general medical conditions, IQ score (verbal intelligence) 490, and ability to participate in MRI study procedures.…”

A Household Study of Self-Regulation in Children

“…The Multiple-Choice Vocabulary Test (MWT; Lehrl, Triebig, & Fischer, 1995) is a multiplechoice instrument consisting of 37 items (with five words each) measuring verbal (crystallized) intelligence. On each item, only one of the five words is a real word; the others are all distracters.…”

The role of inhibitory control in age-related operation span performance

“…Comparing both age groups on verbal intelligence, older adults achieved even higher results in the MWT-B (Lehrl 1977) than younger adults, t(82) = -6.01, P \ 0.001, Partial g 2 = 0.31 (see Table 1). A 2 (betweensubjects factor age: young vs. old adults) · 2 (withinsubjects factor inhibitory demands: standard vs. distractor version) mixed factorial design with randomized counterbalanced order was applied.…”