Book Review: Weiss, L. G., Saklofske, D. H., Prifitera, A., & Holdnack, J. A. (2006). WISC-IV Advanced Clinical Interpretation. New York: Academic Press

Abstract

This book is much more than a sequel to an earlier edition, WISC-IV Clinical Use and Interpretation: Scientist-Practitioner Perspectives (Prifitera, Saklofske, & Weiss, 2005). Put simply, WISC-IV Advanced Clinical Interpretation has the potential to be an invaluable resource for experienced psychologists and graduate students alike. It delivers on its promise to provide the reader with an in-depth means of interpreting and reporting test scores. In addition, it opens the doors to incorporating data gained from the WISC-IV Integrated using an "assessing to understand and intervene" perspective.Simply focusing on a few chapters will hardly do this comprehensive compilation justice, as the inherent restrictions imposed by the review process are in no way reflective of the book's scope and depth of content. Instead, zeroing in on a few key chapters is reflective of the editorial desire to give the reader a taste of the content rather than a full-course meal.Initially, you might question the need for another resource devoted to WISC-IV interpretation, because this specialized market has a few volumes to choose from. However, this book does indeed offer the reader an advanced form of interpretation, with chapters delving into such topics as "Advanced Interpretative Issues With the WISC-IV Full-Scale IQ and General Ability Index," three chapters dedicated to the interpretation of the "WISC-IV Integrated," and other chapters promising to review "The Essentials and Beyond" as well as contextualizing "WISC-IV Interpretation in Societal Context."Tests of intelligence have been under both public and academic scrutiny for some time. Claims of cultural and racial biases, combined with a growing discomfort with an overreliance on a psychometric view of an abstract construct, have made those that use them take a somewhat defensive posture. For these reasons, the first chapter is a "must read," owing to its contextualization of these concerns in a logical and reasonable manner. The onus is on the psychologist to account for the differential risk factors that may exist within certain demographic subpopulations; indeed, "Demographics are not destiny," as the authors remind us. To accomplish this goal, the authors recommend accounting for contextual variables at the individual as opposed to group level when interpreting psychological test scores. Quite simply, even the most reliable and psychometrically valid test scores must be contextualized with "a careful clinical interview and multiple sources of observation over time" (p. 50). What are the similarities and differences between the child's culture and the testing culture? The call for a dynamic approach to assessment is not a new one, but providing an ethical Book Reviews