What does the clock drawing test indicate?

Summary. The clock-drawing test is a quick way to screen for early dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. It involves drawing a clock on a piece of paper with numbers, clock hands, and a specific time. The inability to do so is a strong indication of mental decline.

How accurate is the clock drawing test?

Fifteen of these studies were included for meta-analysis according to each scoring system. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the clock drawing test using the Shulman system were 82% and 75.7% respectively. In the Sunderland system, these were 72.6% and 87.9% respectively.

How is the clock drawing test scores?

Clock Drawing Score: 2 points for a normal clock or 0 (zero) points for an abnormal clock drawing. A normal clock must include all numbers (1-12), each only once, in the correct order and direction (clockwise). There must also be two hands present, one pointing to the 11 and one pointing to 2.

What is the scoring of the GDS?

Scoring. Cost, Training, and Accuracy. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a screening test originally developed by J.A. Yesavage and colleagues in 1982 that is used to identify symptoms of depression in older adults. The scale is a 30-item, self-report instrument that uses a “Yes/No” format.

What is the Clock-Drawing Test?

The clock-drawing test is able to detect mental decline as people with dementia often have problems reading traditional clocks. Reading clocks requires you to interpret the placement of the hands on a clock and the time they are meant to represent.

What is the GDS used for?

It can be used with healthy adults, medically ill adults, and those with mild to moderate cognitive impairments. The GDS is frequently used in acute, long-term, and community settings, often part of a comprehensive geriatric assessment.

How accurate is the GDS in screening for depression?

It found that in addition to accurately identifying depression in people whose cognition was intact, the GDS could also accurately be used to screen for depression in people whose Mini-Mental State Exam (a questionnaire that is used to measure cognitive impairment) scores were at 15 or above. 2