Reliability, validity and evaluation of the wide range assesment of memory and learning for 11 and 12 year old children

In this study, the reliability and validity study was conducted for the Finger Windows and Symbolic Working Memory subtests of the neuropsychological test battery, Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning 2 (WRAML 2, Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning 2, Sheslow and Adams, 2003) for 11 and 12 year old children. While the Finger Windows subtest of the WRAML 2 assesses visual attention/concentration, and visual sequential memory skills, the Symbolic Working Memory subtest of the WRAML 2 assesses working memory skills. The results of the study show that the WRAML 2 is valid with regard to the subtest relations, for children aged 11-12, and that the mentioned subtests are also reliable in terms of test-retest reliability and internal consistency.The scores of Finger Windows sub-test of the WRAML 2, and the scores of Symbolic Working Memory subtest of the WRAML 2 were examined for children aged 11 to 12. The sample consisted of fifth and sixth graders, and it was found that the scores of the two subtests were significantly related to each other.Mean, standard deviation, standard error of the mean, median and percentage orders of Finger Windows and Symbolic Working Memory sub-tests of the WRAML 2 were calculated for children at the age of 11-12.The scores of the Finger Windows and Symbolic Working Memory subtests of the WRAML 2 were compared according to gender and school type. Results showed that the mean score obtained from the Finger Windows subtest was higher for girls. For the Symbolic Working Memory subtest, the mean score of girls was significantly lower than the mean score of boys. As for the school type, it was found that the mean score of children attending private school was higher than the mean score of children attending public school for both subtests. Keywords: Memory, working memory, neuropsychological tests, validity and reliability study