Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test-Plus

CLQT+

Nancy Helm-Estabrooks, ScD

The criterion-referenced Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test (CLQT™+) quickly assesses strengths and weaknesses in five cognitive domains, and adds an optional administration path for people with aphasia. Guidance on using this test in your telepractice.

Publication date: 2001 (CLQT); 2017 (CLQT+)

Age range: 18:0 – 89:11

Scores/interpretation: Criterion cut scores with descriptive severity ratings

Qualification level: B Additional information

Completion time: 15 to 30 minutes

Administration: Paper-and-pencil

Other languages: Spanish (Traditional Administration only)

Telepractice: Guidance on using this test in your telepractice

The CLQT+ test may be used as a standalone overview assessment that gives a broad perspective across relevant domains of cognition and language, and/or in connection with other assessment tools in a battery.

Benefits

Assess attention, memory, executive functions, language, and visuospatial skills.
Monitor intervals in recovery, assess driving readiness, measure language competency, and for research of adults with multiple types of neurological impact.
Clearer interpretation for people with aphasia.
Use for patients of all severity levels.
Effective tool for English or Spanish-speaking adults with known or suspected neurological impairment as a result of stroke, traumatic brain injury, or dementia.

Features

CLQT+ offers two standard administration paths: Traditional Administration and Aphasia Administration.

Clearer interpretation for people with aphasia; one new semantic comprehension task and scoring for several elements within the current tasks.
Original CLQT: one pilot (n=13) and three studies (n=92, 154, and 119, respectively) established the reliability and validity of the CLQT.
Aphasia sample (CLQT+): one clinical study including 76 individuals diagnosed with aphasia associated with left hemisphere strokes were given the revised version of the CLQT.

Traditional Administration includes:

Personal Facts
Symbol Cancellation
Confrontation Naming
Clock Drawing
Story Retelling
Symbol Trails
Generative Naming
Design Memory
Mazes
Design Generation

Aphasia Administration includes:

Personal Facts
Symbol Cancellation*
Confrontation Naming
Clock Drawing
Story Retelling
Symbol Trails*
Generative Naming
Design Memory
Mazes*
Design Generation
Semantic Comprehension

*Additional points scored for following auditory directions within this task for the Aphasia Administration.

Resources

The following resources are available for CLQT+

Frequently asked questions follow. Click on a question to see the response.

CLQT to CLQT+

Why are some items listed as “CLQT” and some as “CLQT+?”

I already have the CLQT kit. What do I need to purchase to use the CLQT+?

Replace Record forms with new ones showing 2-12B-E print code

I received a packet of record forms in the mail in July or August 2017 and a letter about replacing my current stock with these new forms. What does this mean?

Though recently published, author Nancy Helm-Estabrooks and Pearson have reconsidered the Non-Linguistic Cognition (NLC) Index severity ranges found on page 16 of the record form and decided that they are more clinically relevant with a different distribution methodology. Please dispose of your old forms (print code 1-12A-E on the front cover, bottom right corner) to avoid any confusion. The new print code will be 2-12B-E, in the same location on the cover.

Administration

On Symbol Trails, the examinee did Trials 1 & 2 correctly, but did not follow the instructions on the actual scored task. The examinee kept repeating “circle to triangle,” but she drew the lines in a scattered fashion, not paying attention to connecting circles to triangles or connecting objects of increasing size. According to the scoring criteria, the examinee completed 7 lines correct. Is the score actually 7? Should she consider the subtest to be spoiled?

If the examiner follows the guidelines for instructions to the examinee, credit should be given for the lines connected correctly. The score is indeed a 7 and scoring procedures should be followed and reported. At the same time, the clinician needs to make a judgment whether or not that score appears to be reflective of intentional performance or not and qualify those concerns in the report. Certainly, the verbal repetition “circle to triangle” could be an indicator of lack of attention and “random drawing” (which ended up being rather accurate in this case), or it could simply be verbal rehearsal and a perseverating self-monitoring strategy during the task. Only the clinician giving the test can make the best judgment about that. The scoring, however, is based on actual performance given correct administration procedures.

On Design Memory, how would you handle a response after 10 seconds? Would it just be marked as incorrect since it states under the time limit "allow 10 seconds", or would you prompt and then score their response? The Manual states under the repeating directions and stimuli section "if the examinee does not attempt to respond withing 10 seconds". However, it also states "Do not give credit for any responses completed after the time limit."

If the examinee does not respond to the item after 10 seconds, score the item as incorrect. According to the manual, you may repeat the directions once at the 10 second mark. You may record descriptively if the examinee responds (correctly or incorrectly) after the 10 seconds, but you may not re-score the item after the 10 second mark.