Multi-group and hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Fifth Edition: What does it measure? ☆
Highlights
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- WISC-V constructs are measured similarly across the 6–16-year age range.
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- g and five broad ability factors account for subtest covariances.
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- Our CFA findings diverged from EFA research.
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- g is measured strongly in the new 7 subtest FSIQ.
Abstract
The
purpose of this research was to test the consistency in measurement of
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V;
Wechsler, 2014) constructs across the 6 through 16 age span and to
understand the constructs measured by the WISC-V. First-order,
higher-order, and bifactor confirmatory factor models were used. Results
were compared with two recent studies using higher-order and bifactor
exploratory factor analysis (Canivez, Watkins, & Dombrowski, 2015;
Dombrowski, Canivez, Watkins, & Beaujean, 2015) and two using
confirmatory factor analysis (Canivez, Watkins, & Dombrowski, 2016;
Chen, Zhang, Raiford, Zhu, & Weiss, 2015). We found evidence of
age-invariance for the constructs measured by the WISC-V. Further, both g
and five distinct broad abilities (Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial
Ability, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed) were
needed to explain the covariances among WISC-V subtests, although Fluid
Reasoning was nearly equivalent to g. These findings were
consistent whether a higher-order or a bifactor hierarchical model was
used, but they were somewhat inconsistent with factor analyses from the
prior studies. We found a correlation between Fluid Reasoning and Visual
Spatial factors beyond a general factor (g) and that Arithmetic was primarily a direct indicator of g.
Composite scores from the WISC-V correlated well with their
corresponding underlying factors. For those concerned about the fewer
numbers of subtests in the Full Scale IQ, the model implied relation
between g and the FSIQ was very strong.
