In which section does the first item for ages 6-16 start in the Digit Span subtest?

The Digit Span subtest is designed to assess various aspects of working memory, attention, and cognitive processing in children. In this subtest, the first item for ages 6-16 begins with the Forward section. This section requires the child to repeat a series of digits in the same order they are presented, effectively measuring their ability to encode and retrieve straightforward numerical information.

Starting with the Forward section allows the assessment to establish a baseline of the child's digit recall capability before progressing to more complex tasks such as Backward and Sequencing, which require higher levels of cognitive processing. By beginning with the Forward digits, it ensures that the child first encounters a task that reflects basic digit recall before moving onto the more challenging elements of the Digit Span subtest.