Qualitative analysis and identification of pattern of errors in Clock Drawing Tests of community-dwelling older adults.

Barbara Spenciere,Helenice Charchat-Fichman,Liana Chaves Mendes-Santos,Christina Borges-Lima

doi:10.1590/1980-57642018dn12-020011

Barbara Spenciere, Helenice Charchat-Fichman + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-57642018dn12-020011

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Abstract

The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is a frequently employed screening tool with different scoring systems. Quantitative and semi-quantitative scoring systems, such as Sunderland’s et al. (1989), do not discriminate different error patterns. Thus, the same score can represent a number of different neuropsychological profiles. Therefore, the use of a scoring method that emphasizes qualitative aspects to determine specific error patterns is fundamental.Objective:To use a qualitative scale to analyze error patterns in the CDTs of older adults who scored 5 in a previous study.Methods:49 CDTs with score of 5 were analyzed using the qualitative scale. Linear regression and hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analyses were performed.Results:The linear regression showed a significant association between the total score and all the error patterns of the qualitative scale. The hierarchical cluster yielded three groups. However, due to the heterogeneity observed among the groups, a non-hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to better understand the results. Three groups were determined with different neuropsychological profiles and patterns of errors.Conclusion:The qualitative scoring of the CDT is important when examining and analyzing specific neuropsychological domains in older adults, especially executive functions.

Highlights

The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is a frequently employed screening tool with different scoring systems
The purpose of this study was to analyze error patterns in the CDTs of older adults without dementia that had a score of 5 in a specific algorithm method adapted from Sunderland et al.[5,10] and to verify possible different neuropsychological profiles
All subjects participated in a previous study[10] and had a score of 5 on the CDT, as scored by a specific algorithm method adapted from Sunderland et al.[5]

Summary

Introduction

The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is a frequently employed screening tool with different scoring systems. The use of a scoring method that emphasizes qualitative aspects to determine specific error patterns is fundamental. Objective: To use a qualitative scale to analyze error patterns in the CDTs of older adults who scored 5 in a previous study. Results: The linear regression showed a significant association between the total score and all the error patterns of the qualitative scale. ANÁLISE QUALITATIVA E IDENTIFICAÇÃO DE PADRÕES DE ERROS NO TESTE DO DESENHO DO RELÓGIO EM IDOSOS DA COMUNIDADE RESUMO. Entretanto devido a heterogeneidade observada entre os grupos, uma análise de cluster não hierárquico foi realizada para melhor entender os resultados. The initial objectives were to provide a more detailed, specific and quantitative analysis of one of the most used methods of CDT scoring and indicate different aspects of this assessment. It better describes the types of errors of Sunderland’s original hierarchical scale

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