Title of Assessment
Short Blessed Test (SBT)
also known as Short Orientation Memory Concentration Test (SOMCT)
Author(s)
Katzman R., Brown T., Fud P., Peck A., Schechter R., & Schimmel H.
Year of Publication/Publisher
1983
Identify Type of Assessment
norm-referenced
questionnaires
standardized
performance-based
Cost (identify source) & How to Access Assessment (include link if possible)
Free
somct.pdf
Population (who it is appropriate for [age, diagnosis, etc.])
18+ (adult and geriatric)
anyone at risk of cognitive impairment associated with memory or cognition
Dementia and Alzheimer's
neurological disorders, brain injuries, and mental health conditions
Appropriate Settings (potential practice settings appropriate to administer assessment in)
requires quiet rooms, skilled nursing facility, nursing home rehabilitation hospitals, acute care, inpatient, home health, community-based settings
Purpose of Assessment & Function(s)/Area(s) Assessed
This short screening test is a diagnostic tool that helps decipher between patients who have cognitive impairments and those who do not. Essentially it measures cognitive impairment. It addresses attention and working memory, cognition, executive functioning, and reasoning/ problem-solving.
Administration (time to administer, group/individual, if there are subtests, can they be completed individually, are there specific instructions to ensure standardization, etc.)
10 minutes
6 items in a rating scale and checklist by interview
the participant is asked to identify the year, month, and time of day, count backward from 20 to 1, recite months backward, and recite phrases from memory.
User Qualifications
no training or qualifications required
Materials Required
test sheet, instruction manual, writing utensil
Scoring Procedure (how is assessment scored and what does score indicate)
Correct answers receive a score of “0” and incorrect scores receive a “1.” Each question has a different weighted value as seen in the manual:
0-8= normal-minimal impairment
9-19= moderately impairment
20-28= severe impairment
Psychometrics/Standardization (norms, reliability/validity studies)
when compared to Blessed Rating Scale it is very reliable
When compared to Mental Status Questionnaire it is very valid
Strengths & Weaknesses of Assessment
strengths
quick to administer
low cost and not many required materials
helps understand cognitive levels
high validity and reliability
weaknesses
only 6 items cannot directly provide cognitive level alone
References
Asher, I. E. (2014). Asher’s occupational therapy assessment tools: An annotated index. American Occupational Therapy Association.
Short orientation-memory-concentration test of cognitive impairment. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. (n.d.). https://www.sralab.org/rehabilitation-measures/short-orientation-memory-concentration-test-cognitive-impairment