Clock Drawing Test Performance of Young Adults Based on a One-Shot Case Study

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• The clock drawing test (CDT) is a widely used tool for assessing cognitive function.
• Increased reliance on digital technology has reduced exposure to analog clocks.
• This shift may impact the performance of young adults on analog-based cognitive assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the ability of young adults (18-30 years) to perform the clock drawing test (CDT).
• To determine if digital-native young adults can accurately draw and interpret analog clocks.
• To assess the suitability of the CDT for cognitive screening in this age group.

Main Methods:

• 80 participants aged 18-30 with self-reported normal cognition completed the CDT.
• Participants also performed tasks involving setting hands on a pre-drawn clock and identifying analog times.
• Data analysis focused on CDT scores and correlations between analog clock tasks.

Main Results:

• Approximately 25% of young adults scored below the expected range on the CDT.
• A moderate positive correlation was found between analog clock hand setting and time identification in a subset of participants.
• The majority of participants reported not wearing analog watches.

Conclusions:

• The clock drawing test (CDT) should be used with caution for cognitive screening in young adults (18-30 years).
• Alternative cognitive screening methods or modifications to existing assessments are recommended for this population.
• Further research is needed to understand CDT performance in young adults.