Final answer:
IQ scores from Wechsler tests are based on a combination of subtests covering multiple cognitive abilities, standardized and normed to be relative to peers. These tests help identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses, providing a framework for targeted educational and psychological interventions.
Step-by-step explanation:
As with all Wechsler tests, more confidence can be placed on IQs based on the accumulation of scores from various subtests that tap into different cognitive abilities. This approach reflects the foundational belief of David Wechsler, who understood intelligence as a composite of several domains of cognitive functioning. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V), for instance, is composed of 14 subtests that measure abilities across five indices: Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed. The scores from these indices are then used to calculate a Full Scale IQ score.
Recognizing intelligence as a diverse construct, Wechsler tests are periodically normed and standardized to maintain their relevance and accuracy. This process involves administering the test to a large, representative sample and using the data to produce a normed distribution of scores. This standardization ensures that individual scores are interpreted in relation to age-appropriate peers, which contributes to the reliability of the measure, as well as its value for identifying individual strengths and weaknesses that can inform educational and psychological interventions.
In practice, IQ tests such as WISC-V are crucial in assessing children like the case study's subject, Candace, whose struggles in school may reflect underlying cognitive challenges rather than a lack of effort or behavioral issues alone. Candace's Full Scale IQ score was 68, which is considerably below average and indicates significant difficulties across multiple cognitive domains. Recognition of these challenges through IQ testing can lead to appropriate interventions and support mechanisms, which are vital for her chances of success in a regular education setting without assistance.