Development of alternate paragraphs for the logical memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised

Abstract

The paragraphs that compose the Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised were examined and alternate paragraphs that were equivalent in structure, affective tone, and number of scorable units were developed. Objective scoring criteria for this alternate form, the Morris Revision, yielded significant interscorer reliability. Concurrent validity for the Moms Revision paragraphs was established using multiple criteria. The correlation between the summed scores for the original paragraphs and the Morris Revision paragraphs was significant, as were the correlations between individual scores for analogous paragraphs across the two forms. The Morris Revision was determined to be a psychometrically equivalent alternate form of the original Logical Memory subtest. Clinical use of the Morris Revision is recommended to eliminate serial testing artifacts when reevaluating verbal memory in neuropsychological patients.