Childrens Memory Scale (CMS)

The Childrens Memory Scale (CMS) is a standardized test that evaluates the important
processes involved in learning and memory and compares performance to that of others of the
same age. A General Memory Index score can be derived from the core subtests. Results are
interpreted in accordance with United States norms.

The Childrens Memory Scale was used to evaluate Clients ability to encode, store and retrieve
newly acquired verbal and visual information. Client completed tasks involving meaningful
(contextual) and non-meaningful (non-contextual) information and both immediate and short-
delay recall ability was assessed. Overall, Clients General Memory Index was within the
Average range (61st percentile) indicating that her ability to encode and retrieve novel
information is at the level of her same age peers.

The Visual Indices (Immediate and Delayed) provide an assessment of immediate/working
memory span for information presented non-verbally as well as ability to consolidate, store and
retrieve newly learned information. On a task in which Client was required to immediately recall
non-meaningful visual information (physically replicating dot locations on a matrix), she
performed within the High Average range (95
th
percentile). Client produced correct dot locations
on her first attempt (there are three periods of exposure). Clients ability to recall non-
meaningful visual information after long delays was within the Average range (75
th
percentile).
Client performed within the Average range (63
rd
percentile) on an immediate recognition task of
meaningful information (recalling previously viewed human faces). After a long delay, Client
performed within the Average range (25
th
percentile) when recalling encoded faces. Overall,
Client demonstrates working memory strengths (88
th
percentile) in the consolidation, storage and
immediate retrieval of non-meaningful visual information. She is able to recall visual
information after a delay at the level of her same age peers (50
th
percentile).

The Verbal Indices (Immediate and Delayed) provide an assessment of immediate/working
memory span for information presented verbally as well as the ability to consolidate, store and
retrieve newly acquired information. Client performed within the Average range (50
th
percentile)
on a task which required her to immediately retell two verbally presented short stories. After a
delay, Client demonstrated a Below Average ability (16
th
percentile) to recall salient story
elements. Client performed within the Average range (50
th
percentile) on a task which measured
her ability to process, learn and recall a list of word pairs both immediately after hearing them
and after a long delay. While Client performed within the Average range (50
th
percentile) when
required to retrieve the word pairs unprompted, she performed within the Below Average range
(9
th
percentile) when asked to identify familiar word pairs administered verbally after a long
delay. This result must be interpreted with caution as it was the last subtest of the day, Client had
asked and was very much aware that testing was nearly finished. Overall, Clients working
memory for immediate verbal information is within the Average range (50
th
percentile). Her
Comment [JS1]: Another good observation
ability to retrieve new auditory information after a delay is at the level of her same age peers
(27
th
percentile).

The Attention/Concentration Index provides an assessment of ability to sustain and direct
attention and concentration, processing speed and working memory. On this Index, Client
performed within the Extremely Low range (0.4 percentile). Specifically, her ability to quickly
and mentally manipulate and sequence information presented verbally was within the Below
Average range (1
st
percentile). Results indicate that Client experiences extreme difficulty when
required to process information quickly (as evidence by Borderline ability in the Processing
Speed Index of the WISC-IV). While she demonstrates working memory strengths in the
consolidation, storage and retrieval of non-meaningful visual information, and appears within the
Average range when recalling verbal information, adding demands of sequencing and time to
Clients working memory places her well below the ability of same age peers. Taken together,
Client demonstrates Average ability (61
st
percentile) to encode, store and retrieve information
presented verbally and meaningful information presented visually. She demonstrates significant
difficulty when required to sequence (manipulate) information in her working memory at a pace
comparable to her same age peers. Client may benefit from strategies which provide visual
assistance to decrease demands on processing speed and allow for additional time with which to
process information.

CMS Table

Subtests S.S. Percentile Classification
Visual Immediate 118 88 High Average
Dot Locations 15 95 Above Average
Faces 11 63 Average
Visual Delayed 100 50 Average
Dot Locations Delayed 12 75 Average
Faces Delayed 8 25 Average
Verbal Immediate 100 50 Average
Stories 10 50 Average
Word Pairs 10 50 Average
Verbal Delayed 91 27 Average
Stories Delayed 7 16 Below Average
Word Pairs Delayed 6 9 Below Average
Learning 112 79 High Average
Dot Locations Learning 13 84 Above Average
Word Pairs Learning 11 63 Average
Delayed Recognition 85 16 Low Average
Stories Delayed Recognition 9 37 Average
Word Pairs Delayed Recognition 6 9 Below Average
Comment [JS2]: I like how you have
connected this to the WISC
assessment/performance
Comment [JS3]: This is really good!
Comment [JS4]: Great job, again! Very
clear and succinct
General Memory 104 61 Average