BioPsychoSocial Assessment Tools for the Elderly - Assessment Summary Sheet Test: Short Cognitive Performance Test (SKT) Year: 1989 Domain: Psychological Assessment Tool Category: Dementia/Alzheimer’s Variations/Translations: The test is available in five parallel forms for repeated test administration. Originally developed in German; various translations, including and English language version, are available. Setting: Clinical setting Method of Delivery: In-person interview Description: The SKT was originally developed in Germany, as a method of quantifying memory and attention deficits in dementia patients. The test is used in patients with not only dementing disorders, but also mild cognitive deficits and patients with cognitive problems due to other psychiatric disease. The SKT consists of nine subtests, which work in conjunction to test memory and attention. For a detailed description of the nine subtests, see Lehfield and Erzigkeit (1997). Scoring/Interpretation: Raw scores from each subtest are converted into norm values and then summed to generate the total score. The norm values for each subtest range of 0 to 3, and the total SKT score has a range of 0 to 27. Higher scores indicate more severe cognitive impairment. Memory and attention subscores can also be calculated (Erzigkeit, www.geromed-gmbh.de/docs/skt_engl.pdf). Time to Administer: 10-15 minutes; each of the nine subtests is limited to a maximum time of 60 seconds. Availability: SKT forms, score sheets, protocol sheets, and manual are available from Geromed GmbH (Germany) for a fee. Software: N/A Website: http://www.geromed-gmbh.de/ Quantitative/Qualitative: Quantitative Validity (Quantitative): The face validity of the SKT as a measure of memory and attention has been determined by factor analysis investigations into the test structure. Strong correlation ( r >0.65) has been established between the SKT and other psychometric tests used to assess memory and attention, including the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) (Ihl, Frolich, Dierks, Martin, & Maurer, 1992). The results of the SKT also correlate well with results of clinical/biological tests of memory and attention, including CT scans, P300 latency, and EEG changes. The SKT has been validated in a number of its alternate language versions (statistics not shown as results are reported in German) (Lehfield & Erzigkeit, 1997). Reliability (Quantitative): The reliability of the five parallel forms of the SKT has been assessed in elderly patients using Cronbach alpha and was found to be high (0.86-0.88). Test-retest reliability was also found to be high (0.88-0.90) (Lehfield & Erzigkeit, 1997). References: Erzigkeit, H. (1989a). SKT. Ein Kurztest zur Efassung von Gediichtnis- und Aufmerksumkeitsstiirungen. 4. Auflage [SKT. A short cognitive performance test for assessing deficits of memory and attention. (4th ed.)]. Weinheim, Germany: Beltz. Erzigkeit, H. SKT: A Short Cognitive Performance Test for Assessing Deficits of Memory and Attention. Retrieved April 4, 2009 from www.geromed-gmbh.de/docs/skt_engl.pdf. Lehfield, H., Erzigkeit, H. (1997). The SKT – A short cognitive performance test for assessing deficits of memory and attention. International Psychogeriatrics, 9(Suppl. 1), 115-121. Comments: N/A