← All public profiles

DWT: Delirium Writing Test

1994

An exploratory postoperative handwriting assessment proposed after a 24-patient thoracotomy study. It produced striking results in five delirium cases but no fixed score, threshold or external validation.

At a glance

Purpose
Domain-specific or adjunctive measure
Population
Adult
Setting
General / acute hospital, Perioperative
Time
not reported
Score or threshold
No reproducible numerical score or threshold established

Format: The study compared writing before surgery and on postoperative day three across several broad disturbance types. It did not establish a standard item set, numeric total or reproducible binary rule suitable for a current bedside form.

Primary validation papers

1 identified diagnostic-accuracy paper

Other forms of validation are described in the evidence section. What is counted?

Large-scale clinical implementation

Not yet reviewed.

A focused implementation review has not yet been completed for this profile.

Training and instructions

Public training resources have not yet been confirmed in this review. Check the linked developer or original source for instructions.

Start here

Tool and original sources

This record describes a method rather than a downloadable bedside form. The main source is linked below.

Original paper

  • Original paperAakerlund LP, Rosenberg J. Writing disturbances: an indicator for postoperative delirium. International journal of psychiatry in medicine. 1994;24(3):245-57. doi: 10.2190/PTP2-GPB2-GA6Q-NM87. PMID: 7890482.

    This is the original published source for DWT. It reported sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 100% against a DSM-III-R clinical assessment.

    Open PubMed ↗
One DTA study identifiedHistorical context
Classification

Classification

Domain-specific or adjunctive measureCognitive tests designed for delirium

A tool may belong to more than one category. Select a linked category to see other relevant profiles.

Evidence

Diagnostic-accuracy evidenceOne DTA study identified

Reported sensitivity and specificity

Headline metric source

Original/source study · 1994; pmid:7890482

Denominator
Reported source unit: 24 (analysis unit not fully reconciled)
Reference standard
Postoperative DSM-III-R delirium classification; assessor procedure, timing and masking are not reported in the accessible abstract
100%
Sensitivity
100%
Specificity

Earliest DTA evaluation identified in the current audit; see the linked source and methodological caveats.

More evidence and citation details
Full name
Delirium Writing Test
Also known as
DWT
Evidence summary
development-only
Diagnostic-accuracy evaluations
1
Reference standard
Postoperative DSM-III-R delirium classification; assessor procedure, timing and masking are not reported in the accessible abstract
Citation
Aakerlund LP, Rosenberg J Writing disturbances: an indicator for postoperative delirium International journal of psychiatry in medicine. 1994;24(3):245-57. PMID 7890482
Download RIS ↗ Download BibTeX ↗

Primary validation studies

Distinct primary publications from the current diagnostic-accuracy audit. Reviews and repeated evaluations within one paper are not counted again. Overlapping cohorts have not all been reconciled. Read the counting rules and limitations.

Open 1 identified paper
  1. Aakerlund LP, Rosenberg J (1994). Writing disturbances: an indicator for postoperative delirium. International journal of psychiatry in medicine.

    Reference category: other comparator or secondary accuracy evidence.

Copyright and reuse
Information checked
2026-07-19

Instrument-specific terms apply. See the access and copyright policy or send a correction.

Base clinical review: 2026-07-29. Instrument description source check: 2026-09-05. Scope and limitations.