Hochstrasser, Céline; Rieder, Sarah; Jufer-Riedi, Ursina; Klein, Marie-Noëlle; Feinstein, Anthony; Banwell, Brenda L.; Steiner, Michelle; Cao, Li Mei; Lidzba, Karen; Bigi, Sandra (2021). Computerized Symbol Digit Modalities Test in a Swiss Pediatric Cohort - Part 1: Validation. Frontiers in psychology, 12, p. 631536. Frontiers Research Foundation 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.631536
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HOCHSTRASSER_2021_FrontPsychol.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY). Download (772kB) | Preview |
Objective: The objective of this study was to validate the computerized Symbol Digit Modalities Test (c-SDMT) in a Swiss pediatric cohort, in comparing the Swiss sample to the Canadian norms. Secondly, we evaluated sex effects, age-effects, and test-retest reliability of the c-SDMT in comparison to values obtained for the paper and pencil version of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT).
Methods: This longitudinal observational study was conducted in a single-center setting at the University Children's Hospital of Bern. Our cohort consisted of 86 children (45 male and 41 female) aged from 8 to 16 years. The cohort included both healthy participants (n = 38) and patients (n = 48) hospitalized for a non-neurological disease. Forty eight participants were assessed during two testing sessions with the SDMT and the c-SDMT.
Results: Test-retest reliability was high in both tests (SDMT: ICC = 0.89, c-SDMT: ICC = 0.90). A reliable change index was calculated for the SDMT (RCIp = -3.18, 14.01) and the c-SDMT (RCIp = -5.45, 1.46) corrected for practice effects. While a significant age effect on information processing speed was observed, no such effect was found for sex. When data on the c-SDMT performance of the Swiss cohort was compared with that from a Canadian cohort, no significant difference was found for the mean time per trial in any age group. Norm values for age groups between 8 and 16 years in the Swiss cohort were established.
Conclusion: Norms for the c-SDMT between the Swiss and the Canadian cohort were comparable. The c-SDMT is a valid alternative to the SDMT. It is a feasible and easy to administer bedside tool due to high reliability and the lack of motor demands.
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