QbCheck for ADHD works by combining a 15- to 20-minute computer-based attention task with infrared motion tracking, then comparing your results to data from people of the same age and sex – both with and without ADHD. In plain terms: you sit at a computer, respond to shapes on the screen while a camera tracks how much you move, and the software produces an objective report on your attention, impulsivity, and activity level.
QbCheck is an FDA-cleared testing tool that measures the three core symptom areas of ADHD:
Inattention: How well you can stay focused on a task.
Impulsivity: Your ability to control initial reactions and avoid responding when you shouldn’t.
Hyperactivity: Your level of physical movement and restlessness during the test.
The test runs online, so it can be completed in our Scottsdale office or from home via telehealth, making it accessible to patients.
Two things set QbCheck apart from a symptom questionnaire:
It measures performance, not perception. Rating scales ask how often you lose your keys. QbCheck records how many times you missed a target on screen and how quickly your response times drifted.
It compares you to a normative group. Your results are matched against data from individuals of the same age and sex. That context matters because “normal” attention looks different at 14 than at 45.
The procedure is simple, non-invasive, and designed to feel comfortable.
Sleep normally the night before. Severe sleep deprivation affects attention and can muddy the picture.
Follow instructions about stimulant medication. Your provider will tell you whether to hold it, depending on the goal (baseline vs. medication check). Never stop a prescribed medication on your own.
Go easy on caffeine and other stimulants. A large energy drink an hour before can influence both attention and restlessness.
Eat a meal beforehand so hunger doesn’t affect concentration.
Set up your space if testing from home. A laptop or desktop with a working webcam, stable internet, and a quiet room. Silence your phone and close other tabs.
Wear something the camera can see. A reflective marker sits on a headband, so avoid hats or bulky hoods.
Plan for about 30 minutes total. The task runs 15 minutes for adolescents and 20 for adults, plus setup and a practice round.
You’ll be seated comfortably at a computer in a quiet, distraction-free space, wearing a lightweight headband with a small reflective marker on the front. An infrared camera records the marker’s position many times per second, yielding precise data on head and body movement.
On screen, geometric shapes appear one at a time. You’ll be told which shape counts as a “target” and asked to press a responder button – or the space bar – only when a target appears. When a non-target appears, you do nothing. It’s a continuous performance test (CPT), a standard method for assessing attention and impulsivity.
The task is deliberately repetitive and monotonous, because sustained attention on boring tasks is precisely where ADHD symptoms surface. Most people find the middle stretch harder than the beginning – and that pattern of decline is itself meaningful data.
Schedule your evaluation. Testing is part of a broader ADHD evaluation that begins with a clinical interview.
Complete the rating scales. You – and often a parent, partner, or teacher for adolescents – fill out symptom questionnaires.
Receive your secure test link. Testing runs through a browser, either in the office or at home.
Set up the equipment. Position the camera, put on the headband (for in-office testing only), take the responder button, and sit at arm’s length from the screen. Our staff member confirms you’re comfortable and understand the instructions.
Run the practice trial. A short warm-up confirms the task is clear and tracking is calibrated.
Complete the main task. Respond to targets, ignore non-targets, and remain seated for the full 15 or 20 minutes while the system simultaneously records performance data (hits, omissions, commissions) and motion data.
Review your results with your provider. The report is generated automatically and then interpreted in the context of your history during a follow-up discussion.
The report breaks performance into three domains and compares your data to a normative dataset of peers matched on age and sex.
Omission errors – targets you missed entirely, a marker of inattention.
Reaction time – how quickly you responded to targets on average.
Reaction time variability – how consistent your speed was. Often the most telling measure: many people with ADHD can respond quickly, but timing fluctuates moment to moment.
Performance over time – whether accuracy and speed held steady or declined.
Impulsivity shows up as commission errors: pressing the button when a non-target appeared. Responding before fully processing what’s on screen reflects difficulty with inhibitory control – the same mechanism behind interrupting conversations or blurting out answers. The report also flags responses so fast they were anticipatory rather than deliberate, a classic feature of hyperactive-impulsive and combined presentations.
Infrared analysis of the reflective marker captures:
Total distance moved during the task
Area covered by your movement
Time spent active versus still
Micro-movements – small, frequent shifts that are hard for an observer to notice
Hyperactivity in adults rarely looks like a child bouncing off the walls. It appears as fidgeting, leg bouncing, or constant subtle repositioning – captured objectively rather than by someone’s impression of how restless you seemed. This motion tracking is a significant differentiator from other CPTs.
Results are presented visually, with graphs and charts showing how you compare to the normative comparison group. Scores are typically expressed as Q-scores – standardized values indicating how far your performance sits from the age- and sex-matched average.
Symptom scores: A score near zero means your performance closely resembles the comparison group; higher scores indicate greater deviation. Separate scores for inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity show a clear signal in one area and typical results in another – useful for distinguishing predominantly inattentive from combined presentations.
Visual analysis: You’ll see your head movement plotted throughout the test, reaction-time consistency, and when errors occurred.
Performance across time segments: Revealing whether difficulties appeared right away or emerged as the task dragged on.
Our team will walk you through the report at your follow-up appointment, explaining each section in the context of your personal history – because we treat people, not test results.
QbCheck adds objective measurement to ADHD evaluation by tracking attention, impulse control, and physical movement during a brief computer task, then comparing results to age- and sex-matched data. It does not diagnose ADHD on its own, but it strengthens a thorough clinical evaluation, clarifies overlapping conditions, and creates a baseline for measuring progress.
About the Author
Jordan Reuter
PMHNP, APRN — Board Certified
August 24, 2026
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