Relative Interference on Logical Memory I Story A Versus Story B of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised in a Clinical Sample

Abstract

Prior research found Logical Memory I Story A and Story B of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised to be equivalent in difficulty, with no effect of administration sequence. Following clinical impression of many patients "freezing" on Story A and recovering on Story B, it was hypothesized that the presence of performance or test anxiety contributed to this phenomenon. Logical Memory scores and concurrent Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) data from 8.5 clinical cases were examined. Participants were divided into 3 groups based on performance on the Logical Memory I stories: A < B (67%), A = B (15%), A > B (18%). There were no significant differences on Logical Memory I performance related to medical or neuropsychiatric history, age, or education. In support of the hypothesis, those patients who showed poorer performance on Logical Memory I Story A than on Story B had significantly higher T scores on the MMPI Social Anxiety scale as compared to the A > B group. No other MMPI differences were found.