The WISC-R factor score profiles of cultural-familial mentally retarded and nonretarded youth.

Factor scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) were compared for two groups of cultural-familial mentally retarded youth and one group of nonretarded youth. The younger retarded group had a mean CA of 9.5 years; the older retarded group has a mean WISC-R MA of 9.5 years, and the nonretarded group had a mean WISC-R MA and a mean CA of 9.5 years. No significant difference was detected between the retarded and nonretarded groups in their patterns of intellectual strengths and weakness. This finding was consistent with an expectation of the developmental viewpoint of retardation but contrary to a prediction of the difference theory of retardation. Differences were found between the retarded groups in their intellectual strengths and weakness. The older retarded subjects exhibited a relative strength in perceptual organization abilities, whereas the younger ones demonstrated no pattern of comparative strengths and weaknesses.