New updated guidance- November 2022
SASC and its Test Evaluation Committee (STEC) have taken the decision, after careful consideration, to remove this test from the list of approved tests for carrying out a diagnostic assessment. From April 30th 2023, it may still be used qualitatively but test scores should not be reported. It can be used for access arrangements until Summer 2023.
| SASC and STEC have therefore concluded that: |
| The SDMT is too old, too weakly standardised, and its administrative instructions too inconsistent to represent a reliable and valid test of coding/processing speed useful to assessors in 2022 and beyond. There are now more tests available to specialist assessors that capture aspects of processing speed. SASC recommends that assessors explore the potential of these tests as alternatives to the use of the SDMT.If assessors wish to retain the use of this test as a qualitative tool (for example to explore issues noted elsewhere in the assessment with particularly slow or inaccurate handwriting) this is acceptable as long as the assessment report contains an explanation as to why the test is being used in this restricted way. Scores should not be reported. |
| https://sasc.org.uk/SASCDocuments/The%20Symbol%20Digit%20Modalities%20Test%20New%20Guidance% 20October%202022.pdf |
Older guidance- valid until April 2023:
As there are no norms in this test for individuals younger than 8, speed of visual processing would not be expected to feature in reports for this young age range. It is still a core assessment area for all individuals aged 8 and over under the heading Processing Speed.
Please also note: SASC guidance as of April 2021, that due to the age and weak standardisation of this test and availability only in oral or remote administration, it seems reasonable to omit this test (used remotely or face to face) as a range of other tests could be used to provide evidence of a processing difficulty:
- tests of reading and writing fluency and speed;
- RAN tests;
- WJIV (Paired cancellation and letter and number pattern matching); see my personal musings on this test;
- Visual perception and subtests;
- Developmental Tests of Visual Perception- visual motor search and visual motor speed subtests.