The factorial structure of the Wechsler memory scale: Samples of neurological and psychogeriatric patients

Previous factor-analytic studies of the Wechsler Memory Scale are reviewed. Results from a study using separate samples of 150 neurological and 156 psychogeriatric patients are presented. For the neurological sample, the data confirms the previously demonstrated pattern of a 3-factor solution (general learning, attention/concentration, information/orientation), whereas for psychogeriatric patients, in addition to general learning and attention/concentration factors, a visual short-term memory factor is extracted. This factor, which has not previously been identified in younger samples, correlates with perceptual organisation sub-tests from the WAIS.