Essay on IQ & Mental Health: Evaluating Cognitive Ability & Psychological Wellbeing

Introduction

Human Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and psychological wellbeing are broad aspects that require more than one reliable metric for measurement, depending on age. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) test is used to gauge cognitive ability and intelligence in older adolescents and adults. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) measures ten clinical metrics, which are used to evaluate a person's mental health. The two tests have been employed in Vignette Two, to study analyze the mental health of Ms. Z, who has attempted suicide, is depressed, and unresponsive to antidepressant medication. The clinical use of WAIS-IV and MMPI-2 is instrumental in advising the life-decisions of patients, based on their mental health.

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Problem Statement

Ms. Z has a history of mental health challenges; despite the concerns, she wants to complete her college degree education. WAIS-IV and MMIP-2 tests have been administered to Ms. Z to evaluate her mental health and cognitive ability. The results have to be used to advise Ms. Z's decision about returning to school.

WAIS-IV Analysis

Administration

The test is administered by an examiner, who explains tasks to an examinee to practice within 90 minutes, then uses the responses to gauge the index score. The subsets tested are vocabulary, similarities, information, and comprehension to determine the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI); block design, matrix reasoning, visual puzzles, figure weights, and picture completion for Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI); arithmetic, digit span, and letter-number sequencing for Working Memory Index (WMI), and symbol search, coding, and cancellation for Processing Speed Index (PSI) analysis (Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). The four indices are used to find the FSIQ, which gives the value for the intelligence and cognitive ability of a person.

Populations

WAIS-IV is used on older adolescents and adults, who fall in the 16 to 90 years age bracket (Maccow, 2008). Other variants of the Wechsler test are used to measure intelligence for individuals below 16 years.

Yields

WAIS-IV yields four index scores, which translate to the overall FSIQ; verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. The VCI indicates an individual's ability to use, understand, and think with spoken language. The PRI reflects a person's ability to organize, interpret, and think with visual content. The WMI reflects a person's ability to absorb, hold, and process information, to perform a mental operation on it, and the PSI reveals a person's motor and visual speed.

Reliability and Validity

WAIS-IV is valid and reliable, based on three tests: interscorer agreement, internal consistency, and stability (Kush & Canivez, 2019). Therefore, WAIS-IV gives the most valid estimate for a person's IQ, based on the indices tested.

Cut Scores

The FSIQ ranges from 0 to 200, with each category classified descriptively. Individuals with an IQ level of 69 or below, 70-79, 80-89, 90-109, 110-129, and 130 and above are classified as intellectually disabled, borderline, low average, average, high average, superior, and very superior respectively.

Cultural Concerns

Cultural bias is one of the major issues surrounding the use of the WIAS-IV test in the clinical setup. Generally, people fear the long-term consequences that may occur if the average IQ results vary from one race to another (Reynolds & Suzuki, 2012). Consequently, one race will feel superior to the other; however, this is not the case because the tests are standardized, and the results are not affected by genetic influences (Reynolds & Suzuki, 2012).

Ethical Issues

The use of outdated assessment instruments is prohibited by different Psychology Boards since they might lead to incorrect results (Loring & Bauer, 2010). Inaccurate recommendations based on invalid test outcomes can have adverse effects on the patient (Loring & Bauer, 2010). Therefore, psychologists have to continually develop the existing versions of WAIS, to make it more reliable and valid.

Interpreting and Communicating Results

The cognitive ability and intelligence of a person depend on the FSIQ. Therefore, the examiner should communicatee the WAIS-IV score to the examinee, explaining the strengths of his/her category. Nevertheless, the examiner should avoid using demeaning language, or making the examinee feel inferior for scoring low.

MMPI-2 Analysis

Administration

MMPI-2 is administered by a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist, who is well trained to use it. The test contains 567 true-false questions, which take approximately 60 to 90 minutes to answer. The test items are used to gauge ten clinical scales, which show the patient's mental health status.

Populations

MMPI-2 can be administered to a person or a group, or through a computerized model. MMPI-2 is used to assess adults, and sometimes adolescents.

Yields

MMPI-2 has ten clinical scales, which as used as indicators of mental health index. They are Hypochondriasis (Hs), Depression (D), Hysteria (Hy), Psychopathic Deviate (PD), Masculinity-Femininity (MF), Paranoia (Pa), Psychasthenia (Pt), Schizophrenia (Sc), Hypomania (Ma), and Social Introversion (SI). Each of the scale is grouped into five categories: T>=75, T = 65-74, T = 55-64, T = 45-54, and T<45.

Reliability and Validity

MMPI-2 is valid, as it fully serves its purpose in research and clinical setups. The test is a reliable tool in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses and evaluating its effectiveness.

Cut Scores

The T scores <45, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, and greater than or equal to 75 represent low score, average score, mild, medium, and extreme conditions respectively. For example, for Scale 2, T>=75 shows clinical depression, T= 65-74 moderate depression, and T= 55-64 shows that one is dissatisfied with a life situation.

Cultural Concerns

The MMPI-2 test results may be influenced by cultural perceptions, and divergent worldview (Pace et al., 2006). Therefore, when interpreting the outcomes, the psychologist should consider the interpretive points linked to the examinee's culture.

Ethical Issues

The common ethical issues in the use of MMPI-2 are the omission of some tests in defense cases, wrong interpretation, exaggerating symptoms, and inadequate effort tests (Iverson, 2006). Therefore, neuropsychologists should continually assess the factors mentioned above, for quality MMPI-2 outcomes.

Interpreting and Communicating Results

The extent of the psychological problem is determined by the T score for each clinical scale. The examiner uses the results to evaluate the MMPI-2 content, following which the patient is advised. The treatment process depends on the MMPI-2 content outcomes.

Clinical Formulation

Based on the WAIS-IV score provided on Vignette 2, Ms. Z has a 102 FSIQ, meaning that she is of the high average category. However, she severe mental health problems because the score for HS, D, HY, PT, and SC is above 75 - showing extreme conditions, and at least 9 out of the 10 scales indicate a psychological difficulty. The problem Ms. Z is experiencing is primarily characterized by anxiety, depression, health concerns, low self-esteem, social discomfort, work interference, and negative treatment. Therefore, she is likely suffering from clinical depression. Consequently, while Ms. Z is intellectually able to pursue her college degree, she should seek psychological treatment first.

Recommendations

Ms. Z should be treated with SSRIs, anxiolytic, and antipsychotic drugs, alongside cognitive behavioral therapy, to minimize harmful symptoms. following the treatment, she can be ready to balance her family life and education with minimal psychological challenges. The psychologist has an ethical obligation to deliver the results to the examinee; however, this should be accompanied by counseling to ensure that the patients understand the outcomes, and the need to seek professional assistance. The key challenge associated with using MMPI-2 in mental disorder analysis is that most conditions share the same symptoms; therefore, it is difficult to identify the actual problem affecting the patient.

Conclusion

Clinical WAIS-IV and MMPI-2 can be used to advise a patient on whether or not to make a life-decision, based on the prevailing mental health. WAIS-IV measures cognitive ability and intelligence, whereas MMPI-2 evaluates psychological wellbeing. Ms. Z is intellectually capable of pursuing her degree, but she is limited by her mental health.

References

Kush, J. C., & Canivez, G. L. (2019). Construct validity of the WAIS-IV. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 1-5. https://www.ux1.eiu.edu/cfglc/Adobepdf/Publications-Papers/Kush&Canivez.pdf

Loring, W. D., & Bauer, M. R. (2010). Testing the limits. Neurology, 74(8), 685-690. https://doi.org/10.1212/WLN.0b013e3181d0cd12

Maccow, G. (2008). Administration, scoring, and basic interpretation of the WAIS-IV. Pearson Education, Inc. https://images.pearsonclinical.com/images/Products?WAIS-IV/WAIS-IV_Adm_Scoring_March%25202011_Handout.pdf

Pace, T. M., Robbins, R. R., Choney, S. K., Hill, J. S., Lacy, K., & Blair, G. (2006). A cultural-contextual perspective on the validity of the MMPI-2 with American Indians. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 12(2), 320. https://doi.org/10.1037/1099-9809.12.2.320

Reynolds, R. C., & Suzuki, A. L. (2012). Bias in psychology assessment. Assessment Psychology, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118133880.hop210004