A few weeks ago, I was able to sit down AT HOME and take an ADHD test that was personally validating and eye-opening, and I’m here to walk you through what that process looked like. The test I took was QbCheck – an FDA-cleared, at-home objective test that you complete at the direction of your healthcare provider. QbCheck provides objective data to be used in conjunction with your clinician’s assessments to help them make a more robust, confident diagnosis.
The computer-based test measures attention, motor activity, and impulsivity – the core symptoms of ADHD. In a clinic, a test administrator (likely your clinician) is there to guide you through the entire process; in the home setting, there’s an easy-to-use, self-guided administration tool. To start, there are a few basic requirements to meet so you can take the test at home. You will need a computer with a camera (or webcam), a mouse, a keyboard, and a quiet environment with minimal distractions. There are also some lighting recommendations, such as not having a window right behind you, to ensure your motion can be properly tracked. Overall, the requirements were easy to meet, as they’re similar to what we’ve all grown accustomed to since the pandemic forced many of us to work from home. While you do need a camera to complete the test, you are not recorded. The test uses a motion tracking system to track your movements. The camera must be working properly, as this is a major component of the functionality of the test.
As an adult, I took my test alone – but since QbCheck can be used with anyone aged 6-60, a parent/guardian should be present for children.
The heart of the test is having the patient complete computerized tasks that require continuous attention and impulse control, which is why it’s intentionally designed to be boring. The basic premise for adults is a series of flashing shapes in various colors, and you are instructed to tap the space bar when you see two identical shapes/colors in a row. The test was painless but also surprisingly challenging. I felt myself struggling to focus and pay attention and began shifting in my seat after just a few minutes – which was quite surprising for me. The test itself only takes about 20 minutes to complete. If you decide to take QbCheck with your physician, I recommend allotting 20 minutes prior to the test for setup, as you need to make sure all your equipment is working properly.
Did I mention that you can do this from home – in your pajamas?
Just so we’re clear, the test will not tell you definitively if you have ADHD. This is seen as just a component of your overall evaluation. It does, however, give your clinician evidence that you display (or don’t display) ADHD symptoms, as well as the severity of your symptoms compared to the results of others in your age range and sex who do not have ADHD. The exciting part is that the results used for diagnosis can also be used to monitor whether or not your treatment is working. By establishing a “first test” during diagnosis, you can compare these results to later tests after you’ve undergone various treatment options.
Getting results was also fast and easy - my results were available to me the same week that the test was administered. I’ll be going over my results here in the coming days with you. Overall, my test results were very validating for me, and I know that this test can help so many with ADHD gain clarity – which is why I’m such a strong supporter of the work that Qbtech is doing for the ADHD community.
If you are interested in finding a Clinician offering QbCheck in your area, visit: https://bit.ly/38D9b6K
*QbCheck/QbTest is not meant to be a standalone tool for diagnosing ADHD. Instead, it is designated to be added to aid healthcare professionals in the assessment process along with a clinical interview and rating scales.
Qbtech is a paid partner of MyLadyADHD. Opinions and commentary expressed here are that of MyLadyADHD.
