Quotient™ (ADHD Diagnostic Tool)
People often ask if there is an actual test that you can take to see if you have ADD. There is currently no single test or procedure that is used, in isolation, to diagnose ADD. However, there is a new and important tool, that along with other aspects of the Hallowell Center diagnostic process, assesses symptom severity and aids in the evaluation of ADHD. The Quotient™ ADHD System, sometimes referred to as The McClean Motion and Attention Test for ADHD, offers medical professionals an office-based capability to conduct rapid, precise and objective patient assessments that can serve as a baseline from which to establish and monitor the course of treatment. It is an especially useful tool for measuring the effectiveness of certain drugs prescribed to treat ADD.
How It Works
The Quotient™ ADHD System – developed by Dr. Martin Teicher, a professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical and Chief of the Developmental Biopsychiatry Research Program at McClean Hospital in Massachusetts – measures the three core symptoms of ADHD:
Example of a Movement Comparison of the Non-ADHD and ADHD child using the Quotient™ System Report example movement comparison
- inattention (difficulty staying focused and on task)
- hyperactivity (inability to control movement and sit still while working)
- impulsivity (inability to restrain inappropriate responses)
It’s a non-invasive, 15-minute test that takes place in front of a computer screen. You are asked to respond to a series of geometric shapes, while a special motion detector tracks and records your movements. After completing the test, your responses and movement patterns are analyzed and compared against a large database of people who do not have ADHD. While everyone experiences peaks and valleys of attention, studies show that people with ADHD go back and forth more rapidly between states of attention, distraction and impulsivity.
For more information on how we utilize Quotient Testing at ADHD Bsoton, please contact Rebecca Shafir at (781) 726-6698.