Does psychological distress impact Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale performance in adults with intellectual disabilities? A systematic review

Abstract

Available guidance states that psychological distress may impact on intellectual functioning assessment performance. Less clear is how clinicians should proceed when assessing an adult with a suspected intellectual disability (ID) presenting with psychological distress.A systematic review was performed, that examined psychological distress and performance on the Weschler’s Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS; all versions) in adults with ID.From 17,358 articles identified, one study was relevant. This study suggested psychological distress is associated with WAIS performance but had methodological issues.There is a dearth of evidence investigating this issue. Questions remain over the evidence base guiding clinical decision making.