The Clock Drawing Test
It is typically performed by having a person draw a clock and asking them to draw in the hands to show a particular time.
The clock drawing test. Suhr grace allen nadler mckenna 1998. Page 1 the clock drawing test instructions general information. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of clock drawings in alzheimer s and huntington s.
Although it is sensitive it should not be used alone as the sole screen or measure of cognition. The cdk can be effectively administered to resistant and non compliant older persons freund b 2005 how. 5 6 although in use since the 1960s it was made popular in 1983 when goodglass and kaplan incorporated it into the boston aphasia battery.
In the clock drawing test the patient is provided an examiner drawn circle and asked to put numbers in it and then to draw the clock hands at a given time e g 11 10 2 45. Provide the patient with an 8 5 x 11 in. It is relatively easy to train non professional staff to administer a cdt.
The clock drawing test is a way to test a person s visual and planning abilities. A clock drawing test cdt is a neurological test used for the assessment of cognitive impairment based on sketches of a clock completed by a patient. A comparison of scoring protocols on the clock drawing test in relation to ease of use diagnostic group and correlations with mini mental state examination j am geriatr soc 50.
The properly administered test requires abstraction. Blank sheet of paper and a pencil. More recently automatic tools for assessing such tests have been developed.
The clock drawing test is a simple tool that is used to screen people for signs of neurological problems such as alzheimer s and other dementias. Rouleau i salmon d. The test performance is judged based on the symmetry of the circle and the accurate placement of the numbers and the hands of the clock.
The clock drawing test cdt has been proposed as a quick screening test for cognitive dysfunction secondary to dementia delirium or a range of neurological and psychiatric illnesses cucinotta d 2004. The clock drawing test cdt is a brief cognitive task that can be used by physicians who suspect neurological dysfunction based on history and physical examination. Clock drawing is a simple and effective test to include in the neuropsychiatric assessment of patients.
Test instructions derived from reference. Mcdowell newell 1996. The cdt may be used in addition to other quick continue reading clock drawing test cdt.
Find it on pubmed. It is often used in combination with other more thorough screening tests but even when used by itself it can provide helpful insight into a person s cognitive ability. 4 reviews of the research literature support its use as a reliable screening tool for cognitive dysfunction particularly for dementia.
