Determining prototypical profiles of the WISC-IV using Profile Analysis via Multidimensional scaling (PAMS)

The ability to understand and being able to profoundly and deeply understand the within-person differences entail profile analysis which is considered to be a serious challenge in psychometrics area. This study was aimed at applying Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS) procedure in order to extract prototypical profiles underlying the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children- Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). The design of the study is correlational and the population of the study consisted of all of the students studying at 6th distinct schools of Tehran. Using random cluster sampling method 200 students were selected. The sample were administered full subscales of WISC-IV. Data analysis using the PAMS procedure resulted in extracting 3 cumulative profiles. Statistically meaningfulness of the subtests within profiles were determined and they were labeled according to their dimensionality and underlying meaning (processing speed vs. working memory, lexical knowledge vs. visual alertness and perceptual reasoning vs. verbal comprehension). using the PAMS procedure in interpreting WISC-IV results could be beneficiary. Relying on individual parameters further clinical and applied implications are discussed.