Test Review: Shipley-2 Manual

The authors review the "Shipley-2 Manual," a revised and restandardized version of the Shipley Institute of Living Scale, which is a brief yet robust measure of cognitive functioning and impairment. Like the previous version, the Shipley-2 assesses crystallized ability, which is gained through education and experience, and fluid cognitive ability, which is the capacity to use logic to learn and acquire new information or solve problems, as two distinct aspects of cognitive ability. The Shipley-2 can also be used to reveal cognitive impairment by uncovering discrepancies between crystallized and fluid intelligence. In contrast to the previous version, the Shipley-2 has its own large, nationally representative sample and can be used with confidence in a broad array of clinical and educational applications without reference to scores from other instruments. In addition, the Shipley-2, with its extended age range, can be used with persons aged 7 through 89 in a group or individually. Although the test is self-administered, administration must be monitored by a person familiar and competent with psychological or educational testing. It can be administered and scored in 25 min. The test results should be used in conjunction with other information derived from concurrent or former assessments, detailed interviews and history taking, and observations.