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Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR)
Availability
Please visit this website for more information about the instrument:Wechsler Test of Adult Reading
Classification
Supplemental: Sport-Related Concussion (SRC) and Acute Hospitalized, Concussion/Mild TBI, Epidemiology
 
Basic: Moderate/Severe TBI: Rehabilitation Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Short Description of Instrument
The Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR) is an adult reading test that can serve as a measure of premorbid verbal intelligence, as pre- and post-injury performance shows some degree of correlation. The test has been co-normed with the WAIS-III. The subject is presented with 50 words with atypical pronunciations.
 
Publication Date: 2001
 
Ages/Grades: The test is appropriate for ages 16–89 years.
 
Norms: Large national norming sample, matched to the U.S. population; demographic data that accurately predicts pre-morbid IQ in neuropsychological cases; extensive clinical validity with group studies including Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's disease, Korsakoff's syndrome, and TBI.
 
Sport-Related Concussion Specific:
 
Estimates premorbid abilites.  Algorithms can be used to predict WASI-III scores.  Internal consistency ranges from 0.87–0.97.  Test-restest reliability >0.90. Not to be used in those with learning disorders, language and perceptual disorders, or those without lengthy exposure to English. This is appropriate for longitudinal studies pre-injury.
 
Advantages: Large national norming sample, matched to the U.S. population; demographic data that accurately predicts pre-morbid IQ in neuropsychological cases. Evaluated in sport-related concussion: WTAR Full Scale IQ estimate was significantly correlated with overall performance (p < .01) but not with performance variability. Normative cognitive performance in college athletes is characterized by significant intraindividual variation across tests.
 
Limitations: Validated more for moderate to severe TBI. Only one study in sport-related concussion.
Scoring
Scoring: Total score is the number of words read correctly out of 50.
References
Wechsler D. Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR). San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessment, 2001.
 
Strauss E, Sherman E, Spreen O. A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests. 3rd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
 
Rabinowitz AR & Arnett PA. Intraindividual cognitive variability before and after sports-related concussion. Neuropsychology. 2013;27(4):481-490.

 

Document last updated March 2018