The Relationship Between the WAIS-III Digit Symbol Coding and Executive Functioning

Abstract

The current study examined the performance of college students (N = 63) on the Coding subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition and examined whether differences in performance could in part be explained by performance on the Delis-Kaplan Executive Functions System Trail-Making Test. The results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that performance on Coding was correlated most with Letter-Number Sequencing and to a lesser extent with Visual Scanning and with Number Sequencing approaching significance. There was no significant relationship with Letter Sequencing or Motor Speed. The three significant predictor variables were then entered into a stepwise hierarchical regression analysis. Subsequent models using Visual Scanning and Number Sequencing did not improve the predictive value of the model. These results are consistent with other recent reports suggesting that performance on Coding taps cognitive skills and abilities beyond that of simple motor speed or paired-associative learning. The findings also suggest a limited improvement in understanding test performance using a process analysis approach.

The intellectual profiles of high functioning elderly persons with an autism spectrum disorder

“…Furthermore, changing strategy from checking to memorybased reactions may also be difficult for people with ASD because of impairment in cognitive flexibility and set shifting and a tendency to perseverate, which have been described as characteristic for ASD [18]. This is in line with findings of a previous study in college students, in which performance on the DGS subtest appeared more related to cognitive set shifting than to visual attention and motor speed [6]. Therefore, we hypothesize that processing speed impairment in the elderly with ASD is related to their tendency to persevere in a local strategy and to their difficulty changing to a global strategy.…”

“…For example, visual-motor coordination, visual-spatial analysis and working memory have all been hypothesized to be of influence on processing speed performance [6,14]. Also, impairment on processing speed subtests may be due to problems with top-down processing and weak central coherence, which are characteristic forASD [9,22].…”

“…Both subtests have in common that they require the subject to focus attention, scan simple information quickly and order visual information sequentially using visual-motor coordination. The two subtests differ in that SS is usually performed using one strategy throughout the task (visual scanning), while most people change strategy during DSC [6]. The DSC subtest requires the subject to enter a simple symbol below each number in a long series.…”

Cognitive Abilities of Maltreated Children

“…Similarly, Coding, but not Symbol Search, contributes to the prediction of math calculation skills (Mayes, Calhoun, Bixler, & Zimmerman, ). There is evidence that, at least in adults, performance on the Coding subtest is related to executive functioning skills, particularly cognitive set shifting (Davis & Pierson, ), which may explain Coding deficits in clinical groups. Although further research on the unique properties and predictive value of the Coding subtest is needed, there are implications for the practicing school psychologist, particularly in the realm of assessment.…”

Predictors of baseline cancer-related cognitive impairment in cancer patients scheduled for a curative treatment

“…The patient is given a code that pairs symbols with digits. The patient is asked to match as many series of digits as possible to their corresponding symbols as possible in a fixed time span of 120 seconds …”