Longitudinal comparison of alternate versions of the symbol digit modalities test: Issues of form comparability and moderating demographic variables

C. L. Uchiyama, L. F. D'Elia, A. M. Dellinger, O. A. Selnes, J. T. Becker, J. E. Wesch, B. B. Chen, P. Satz, W. Van Gorp, E. N. Miller

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

A longitudinal examination of the comparability of two alternate versions of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) was undertaken on a large (N = 3,509), multiregional, healthy male sample. Significant differences were noted between the test scores of the two forms, both upon initial and longitudinal administration, with higher test scores generally being associated with the original version, and higher recall scores being associated with the alternate version. Due to these differences, it is recommended that comparisons between the forms be made only with standardized scores based on test-specific norms, such as those provided in the present study. It was determined that no significant practice effects were noted over the 2-year retest period, demonstrating the relatively stability of the two versions across time. Finally, the demographic characteristics of age, and estimated IQ were demonstrated to be significantly associated with test performance, emphasizing the importance of the stratification of normative data by these variables in interpreting SDMT performance.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)209-218
Number of pages10
JournalClinical Neuropsychologist
Volume8
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1994
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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