November 2022 We have received a number of
responses regarding the recent announcement about the SDMT. We appreciate that
assessors may need more time to adapt and update their practices, so we have
therefore decided to extend the deadline for ceasing to use the SDMT to 30th
April 2023. This will give assessors 6 months from the initial announcement
to update their test batteries accordingly where required. After this time the SDMT should
be used for qualitative purposes only. A substantial range of
alternative suggestions has been made in the guidance that was issued alongside
the announcement about the SDMT. We would still advise that it would be good
practice to use this test only qualitatively from January 2023 and to
begin to use evidence when drawing conclusions for assessments from the range
of other tests you use, adding in more tests as and when you have a chance to
acquire them. [Link to SASC
SDMT Guidance] It is important for assessors to
continually update their test batteries where tests are no longer considered
fit for purpose.
SASC
and its Test Evaluation Committee (STEC) have taken the decision, after careful
consideration, to remove the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) from the list of approved tests for carrying
out a diagnostic assessment. From 30th April 2023, it may still
be used qualitatively but test scores should not be reported.
Please see the full update on the downloads page, or use the document link below, which gives the rationale for the reason for this
decision, as well as further information about what can be used in place
of the SDMT.
Please contact sasc@sasc.org.uk if you
have any queries or questions regarding this change that have not been
addressed in the full update paper.
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