What are the Differences between QbTest and Quotient test?

Update: Quotient testing will no longer be available after 12/31/19. But if you have had Quotient testing in the past and you wonder why we ask you to do the QbTest, this article describes the differences.

QbTest and Quotient are two similar tests, designed to work in the clinical setting. They are both designed to measure the ability to regulate motor activity while seated and performing a Continuous Performance Test.

• There are two versions of QbTest, one is for children 6-12 and one for adolescents and adults 12-60. The first difference is the age group classifications. QbTest is FDA cleared up to the age of 60. Quotient tests patients up to age 55.

• QbTest has been cleared not only for the use in assessment and diagnosis of ADHD, but as of April, 2014 – QbTest is the first device ever in the US to be cleared to monitor treatment follow up and help clinicians assess appropriate treatment options and effects of treatment options both in the medical and therapeutic form.

• In QbTest, the patient’s actual performance, i.e. every single click and every millimeter of head movement are recorded over the testing period and is included in the report comparing the patient with his/her same age and gender control group.

• QbTest differentiates between under 12 years old and 12-60 years old by using the identical pair’s principal (meaning the patient must tap the responder button if the stimuli that appears matches in both shape and color the one that came immediately before it.) This requires the test taker to keep a small amount of stimuli information in the working memory and match that information with the next stimuli. Any distractions such as irrelevant thoughts or inconsistent focus often cause the test-subject to omit the targets or perform at a very slow reaction time. The duration of QbTest 12-60 is a duration of 20 minutes. This paradigm has a more clear connection between attention and working memory. It is known that attention and working memory are closely connected and working memory capacity correlates with the capacity to control attention.

• Quotient focuses on the test subject’s ability to regulate inhibition, and therefore is more a measure of impulsivity rather than attention and may be considered less valuable in the clinical context because impulsivity is unspecific in the clinical population.

• QbTest does not generalize the patients performance by categorizing 30 second increments into color blocks because stronger interpretation by the clinician comes from the ability to look at the raw data of the performance. Quotient does NOT show the actual patient’s performance-it shows what Quotient determines is either impulsivity or inattention in 30 second intervals.

• QbTest measures micro-motion, attention, and impulsivity; the core symptoms of ADHD. QbTest was developed in Sweden and has many excellent research projects and articles supporting the accuracy, validity and test-retest reliability for ages 6 to 60.

• QbTest has a robust scientific support team always available to answer questions and discuss test results.