Dissertation Dish: Two new neuropsych studies involving WJ III, D-KEFS and NEPSY

Examining the concurrent validity of visual and auditory attention tasks of the D-KEFS, NEPSY, and WJ III COG using structural equation modeling
by Mortimer, Jordana E., Ph.D., Texas Woman's University, 2011 , 247 pages; AAT 3464568

Abstract

Attention is a broad cognitive function that is thought to be a foundational skill necessary for all other neurocognitive operations. Differences in theoretical orientations have led to a lack of consensus regarding a specific definition of attention. Because attention theories have a direct impact upon cognitive assessments, continued debate has resulted in a failure to establish appropriate tasks which measure attention constructs. The purpose of this study was to determine the concurrent validity of the attention subscales of three commonly administered neurocognitive instruments: the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ III COG; Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001c; Woodcock et al., 2007), the NEPSY: A Development Neuropsychological Assessment (Korkman, Kirk, & Kemp, 1998), and the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS; Delis, Kaplan, & Kramer, 2001). Additionally, this study examined the underlying factor structure of the D-KEFS, NEPSY, and WJ III COG, and their fit with four theories of attention. The four theories which were analyzed are Mirsky and colleagues' (1991) model of attention, the Cattell-Horn-Carroll model of cognitive abilities (CHC theory; McGrew, 2005), the Conceptual Model for School Neuropsychological Assessment (SNP model; Miller, 2007, 2010), and a model which examines tasks based on auditory and visual modalities. Data was extracted from archival case studies submitted to the KIDS, Inc.'s School Neuropsychology Post-Graduate Certification Program, which included a mixed clinical sample of children, age 8 through 12. Correlations were utilized to determine relationships among attention subtests. Some evidence demonstrated similar internal consistency of the attention subtests within both the WJ III COG and the NEPSY. Less evidence was provided in support of the internal validity of the D-KEFS. Relationships between the theories and attention subtests were examined using structural equation modeling. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to determine how well the various attention theories fit with the attention subtests. Results from the CFA, demonstrated the model which assessed attention using visual and auditory modalities indicated the best fit with the sample data when compared to the other models. Limitations of the current investigation as well as suggestions for future studies are also discussed.



Validity of executive functioning tasks across the WJ III COG, NEPSY, and D-KEFS in a clinical population of children: Applicability to three neurocognitive theoriesby Avirett, Erin K., Ph.D., Texas Woman's University, 2011 , 244 pages; AAT 3464570

Abstract

Inconclusive research regarding the neurocognitive construct of executive functioning has restricted the development of valid pediatric executive functioning assessments (Floyd et al., 2006: Maricle, Johnson, & Avirett, 2010). Misunderstandings in the research have led to divergent executive functioning theories and assessment tasks. Therefore. it cannot be assumed that all executive functioning instruments are measuring the same construct. Given the common inclusion of executive functioning tasks in pediatric neuropsychological evaluations (Stuss & Alexander, 2000), it is important to determine the validity of executive functioning theories and assessment tools. Furthermore, because these evaluations are often administered to children with clinical diagnoses, it is important to assess validity issues with this group. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the concurrent validity of the executive functioning subscales of three commonly utilized neurocognitive instruments: the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ III COG; Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001c), the NEPSY (Korkman, Kirk, & Kemp, 1998), and the Delis Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS; Delis, Kaplan, & Kramer, 2001). An associated purpose of this study was to determine the underlying factor structure of the WJ III COG, NEPSY, and D-KEFS, and their fit with three theories of executive functioning. The three theories that were analyzed include the Anderson, Levin, and Jacob (2002) model of executive functioning, the Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory of cognitive abilities (CHC theory; McGrew, 2005), and the Conceptual Model for School Neuropsychological Assessment (SNP model; Miller, 2007, 2010). Archival data was extracted from school neuropsychology case study reports. Children from a clinical sample, aged 8 through 12, were included in the study. Bivariate correlations were conducted in order to determine relationships among executive functioning subtests. These analyses revealed that executive functioning subtests appear to be measuring distinct abilities and are not interchangeable. Furthermore; the reliable use of most of these subtests within a clinical population was indicated. Level of fit between executive functioning models and sample data was depicted using structural equation modeling and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. The SNP conceptual model indicated the best fit with sample data.



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Dissertation dish: WISC-IV and WAIS-IV research dissertations during last 5 years

I ran a search of the ProQuest Digital Dissertation Database in search of studies involving the most recent versions of the WAIS-IV and WISC-IV.  I found nothing for the WAIS-IV but did find the following for the WISC-IV.  Click here for a PDF file that also includes the abstracts.

Adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: WISC-IV working memory and processing speed indices
Largotta, Danielle.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2009.  Section 0287, Part 0633 71 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- New Jersey: Fairleigh Dickinson University; 2009. Publication Number: AAT 3371366.   

Examining the relationship between the WISC-IV, the OLSAT-7, and the EQAO achievement test
Duncan, Amanda Lynn.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2009.  Section 1100, Part 0632 81 pages; [M.A. dissertation].Canada: Laurentian University (Canada); 2009. Publication Number: AAT MR48862.

The relationship between visual-spatial reasoning ability and math and geometry problem-solving
Markey, Sean M..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2009.  Section 0950, Part 0633 75 pages; [Ed.D. dissertation].United States -- Massachusetts: American International College; 2009. Publication Number: AAT 3385692.   

The relationship between executive functioning and attention in a clinically referred pediatric sample
Hines, Lindsay.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2009.  Section 1191, Part 0622 89 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Florida: Nova Southeastern University; 2009. Publication Number: AAT 3368971.   

The value of IQ scores in detecting reading patterns in younger and older elementary aged children referred for learning difficulties
Herman, Gayle Striar.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2009.  Section 0483, Part 0633 227 pages; [Psy.D. dissertation].United States -- New York: Pace University; 2009. Publication Number: AAT 3358196.

Validation of abbreviated forms of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children---Fourth Edition specific for mentally retarded & low functioning populations
Kurtyka, Jonathan R..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2009.  Section 0287, Part 0622 104 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- New Jersey: Fairleigh Dickinson University; 2009. Publication Number: AAT 3365022.

An examination of the effects of stimulant medication on the IQ test performance of children with AD/HD
Adams, Jennifer S..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2008.  Section 0154, Part 0622 118 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- North Carolina: The University of North Carolina at Greensboro; 2008. Publication Number: AAT 3338759.   

Cerebral asymmetry, working memory, and verbal-performance IQ differences, as predictors of disruptive behavior levels among child and adolescent psychiatric patients
Yokoyama, Youko.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2008.  Section 1435, Part 0622 119 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- California: Alliant International University, Fresno; 2008. Publication Number: AAT 3335272.

Evaluation of attention and executive control within a model of Gf-Gc cognitive functioning
Scheller, Adam C..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2008.  Section 0067, Part 0632 121 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Pennsylvania: Duquesne University; 2008. Publication Number: AAT 3322182.

Executive functioning in the presence of sleep disordered breathing
Sutton, Amy M..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2008.  Section 0079, Part 0622 85 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Georgia: Georgia State University; 2008. Publication Number: AAT 3301012.

Maximizing resources to gain information about clients: Profile analysis, Configural Frequency Analysis, and the WISC-IV
Wakkinen, Howard B..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2008.  Section 0161, Part 0633 190 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Colorado: University of Northern Colorado; 2008. Publication Number: AAT 3322469.   

Resilience, social competence, and intelligence in children
Sanders, Angela C..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2008.  Section 1009, Part 0622  [Psy.D. dissertation].United States -- Wisconsin: Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology, Inc.; 2008. Publication Number: AAT 0820405.

The relationship between aspects of cognitive functioning and academic skills in a clinically referred population
Garcia, Jessica.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2008.  Section 1191, Part 0622 86 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Florida: Nova Southeastern University; 2008. Publication Number: AAT 3325542.   

The validation of a measure of competency in the use of psychological assessment in career counseling: A Piagetian framework
Etheridge, Roy L..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2008.  Section 0071, Part 0519 116 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Florida: The Florida State University; 2008. Publication Number: AAT 3340711.

Visual-spatial processing and mathematics achievement: The predictive ability of the visual-spatial measures of the Stanford-Binet intelligence scales, Fifth Edition and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition
Clifford, Eldon.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2008.  Section 0203, Part 0525 195 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- South Dakota: University of South Dakota; 2008. Publication Number: AAT 3351188.   

A preliminary study of WISC-IV and WAIS-III IQ scores for students with extremely low cognitive functioning
Bresnahan, Joseph A..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0287, Part 0529 68 pages; [Psy.D. dissertation].United States -- New Jersey: Fairleigh Dickinson University; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 3284746.

Cognitive processing in children and adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Assessing alternative measures in predicting adaptive behavior
Odishaw, Janine Danielle.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0351, Part 0622 186 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].Canada: University of Alberta (Canada); 2007. Publication Number: AAT NR33040.   

Cognitive deficits associated with childhood depression: Patterns of performance on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children: Fourth Edition
Sweitzer, Shannon Taich.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0225, Part 0622 85 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Pennsylvania: Temple University; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 3268215.

Cognitive profiles of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Schwebach, Adam J..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0240, Part 0622 91 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Utah: The University of Utah; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 3255572.   

Comparative study of the Working Memory Scales of the WISC-IV and SB5 in referred students
Abbott, Erica N..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0817, Part 0525 31 pages; [Ed.S. dissertation].United States -- West Virginia: Marshall University; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 1448545.

Empirically supported interpretation of the WISC-IV: A commonality analysis approach
Underwood, Jennifer E..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0543, Part 0288 98 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Minnesota: Walden University; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 3288764.

Estimation of premorbid intellectual abilities in children with traumatic brain injury
Malec, Tara.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 1351, Part 0622 83 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Minnesota: Capella University; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 3263170.   

Existing practice and proposed changes in cognitive assessment of Utah students identified as deaf and hard of hearing
Voorhies, Leah.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0022, Part 0288 79 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Utah: Brigham Young University; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 3293984.   

Gender differences for children and adults in cognitive, academic, visual-motor, emotional and behavioural functioning in a clinic-referred population
Gowers, Aspen.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0351, Part 0519 163 pages; [M.Ed. dissertation].Canada: University of Alberta (Canada); 2007. Publication Number: AAT MR29905.   

Neuropsychological and behavioral correlates of prenatal cocaine exposure in boys with severe psychopathology
Wagreich, Michele.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0198, Part 0317 124 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- New York: Long Island University, The Brooklyn Center; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 3285797.   

The impact of relaxation training on cognition and academic ability
Fernandez, Miguel Richardo.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 1443, Part 0622 90 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Arizona: Northcentral University; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 3252087.   

The psychometric profile of adolescent Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Sherlin, Leslie H..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 1351, Part 0620 69 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Minnesota: Capella University; 2007. Publication Number: AAT 3288699.

Transfer of learning in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
McInerney, Robert John.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2007.  Section 0244, Part 0622 121 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].Canada: University of Victoria (Canada); 2007. Publication Number: AAT NR28286.   

A comparison of the WISC-IV and COMIT results and the influence of intelligence, age, and gender on the COMIT performance scores
Bailey, Craig O..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2006.  Section 1351, Part 0632 81 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Minnesota: Capella University; 2006. Publication Number: AAT 3199316.   

Comparison of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT) and the Wechsler scale for children (WISC-IV) with referred students
York, Jennifer.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2006.  Section 0817, Part 0622 16 pages; [Ed.S. dissertation].United States -- West Virginia: Marshall University; 2006. Publication Number: AAT 1434510.

Correlations between the WISC-IV, SB: V, and the WJ-III Tests of achievement. Which has a better relationship with reading achievement?
Campbell, Krystal.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2006.  Section 0817, Part 0288 17 pages; [Ed.S. dissertation].United States -- West Virginia: Marshall University; 2006. Publication Number: AAT 1434477.

Is the GAI a good short form of the WISC-IV?
Scott, Kimberly A..  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2006.  Section 0817, Part 0633 16 pages; [Ed.S. dissertation].United States -- West Virginia: Marshall University; 2006. Publication Number: AAT 1434505.

Social Stories: Mechanisms of effectiveness in increasing social skills, social skill comprehension, generalization and maintenance of newly acquired skills in school-aged children diagnosed with autism
Quirmbach, Linda Melissa.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2006.  Section 1389, Part 0620 260 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- California: Alliant International University, San Diego; 2006. Publication Number: AAT 3227685.

The Test of Auditory Processing Skills-Third Edition (TAPS-3): Validity analyses and reconceptualization based on the Cattell-Horn-Carroll model of cognitive abilities
Edwards, Kellie Murphy.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2006.  Section 0012, Part 0622 84 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Alabama: Auburn University; 2006. Publication Number: AAT 3245465.

The identification of gifted students with spatial strengths: An exploratory study
Mann, Rebecca Lyn.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2005.  Section 0056, Part 0529 84 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Connecticut: The University of Connecticut; 2005. Publication Number: AAT 3180228.

Validity of WISC-IV and CTONI: Interpretation of IQ scores for students classified educable mentally disabled
Launey, Kathryn.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2005.  Section 0543, Part 0632 118 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- Minnesota: Walden University; 2005. Publication Number: AAT 3169043.

Adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: WISC-IV working memory and processing speed indices
Largotta, Danielle.  Proquest Dissertations And Theses 2009.  Section 0287, Part 0633 71 pages; [Ph.D. dissertation].United States -- New Jersey: Fairleigh Dickinson University; 2009. Publication Number: AAT 3371366.

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