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ADxS.org offers various free online self-tests on the subject of ADHD. All tests are merely online screenings that only serve to gain an impression of whether a medical diagnosis could be useful. Under no circumstances can they replace a diagnosis.
It would be wonderful if people who definitely do not have ADHD could also take these tests in order to improve the significance of the results.
This self-test takes just under 30 minutes and comprehensively tests all known and related symptom groups of ADHD.
The result is compared with that of other participants and also shows values that could be expected according to DSM 5 and ICD 10.
Validity and reliability of the ADxS online symptom test
The online test has now been completed by around 20,000 test subjects (as of January 2023). Around 92% of the results of the first test subjects matched the ADHD diagnoses given by doctors, whereby 18.5% of test subjects who stated that they “certainly do not have ADHD” (which is not a negative medical diagnosis) were recorded by the test as having ADHD. This determination of these values is based on the subjects’ own statements (have a medical ADHD diagnosis / certainly do not have ADHD), which on the one hand makes a considerable bias possible and on the other hand - especially in the case of the second statement - can contain considerable false information. In addition, the agreement of the symptom test was compared with an ADHD test tested for validity and reliability, which is used for medical diagnosis. The agreement here was around 96% (also dimensional).
Ultimately, the symptom test is based on the diagnostic manuals of DSM 5, ICD 10 and others. These are determined on the basis of factual questions, just as a doctor would do in a diagnostic interview based on their experience, without these questions being validated in detail. However, a medical diagnosis is based on (several) other questionnaires and tests, which are themselves validated. For this reason, our online tests can never replace a medical diagnosis and only serve as a suggestion for making such a diagnosis.
Diagnostic tests are carried out on selected groups of test subjects (usually according to demographic criteria), who are then diagnosed by specialists at great expense. We cannot afford these (very expensive) procedures for financial reasons. However, this is not unusual for free online screening, which is neither used commercially nor for medical diagnosis. One exception is the ASRS created by the WHO, which is available as an ADHD self-test.
Scientific approaches to the diagnosis of ADHD often achieve a consistency of 85% or less.1 Trained diagnosticians and experienced clinicians achieved 88% diagnostic agreement.2](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3737570/) However, these values are measured against the much stricter methods used to determine the quality criteria of diagnostic tests.
Version history:
5.0 - since February 20, 2023; English since 15.03.23
With the external assessment test, third-party assessments can be included in the result. The external assessment test is based on the large symptom test in version 5 and takes a good 30 minutes.
The individual link to the external assessment test for your own account can be found in the main menu (above), there under Tests, in the footer area and in the
Footer area of the test result of the symptom test (Tests and surveys / Account management / Test results). The link can be passed on to one or more third parties. The third parties can use the link to carry out their own external assessment test for this testing account. They do not need any account data for this.
The test asks who the third party was (“partner”, “math teacher”, “whoever”), so that several external assessment tests can be distinguished by their names.
Under “Account test results”, you can then compare your own symptom test and one or more different external assessment tests as well as the other tests.
This should make the test result even more accurate.
The third parties only see the result of the external assessment test they have taken themselves, but not other external assessment tests or the other test results.
Version history:
5.0 - German since April 2023; English since April 2023
3.0.1 - as of February 17, 2020
1.3. Differential diagnostic test for anxiety disorders¶
The online anxiety test for differential diagnosis takes just under 10 minutes. It aims to differentiate possible anxiety disorders from a possible ADHD disorder.
The online depression test for differential diagnosis takes just over 10 minutes. It aims to differentiate a possible depression from a possible ADHD disorder.
1.0 - as of March 21, 2020; English since 25.03.23
1.5. Differential diagnostic test autism spectrum¶
The ASD online test for differential diagnosis takes just over 10 minutes. It aims to identify an autism spectrum disorder in order to differentiate this from a possible ADHD disorder.
This survey aims to determine the optimal setting for medication.
While the symptom test asks about the condition without medication, the ADHD medication effect test uses the same questions to depict the condition during the medication effect.
The difference between the two tests shows how well the current medication is working on the symptoms.
This reaction test takes approx. 15 minutes and works on both desktop and mobile devices.
We currently have no comparative values. In order to determine comparative values, we need participants who
Have confirmed ADHD or
Do not have ADHD.
We would also be grateful if ADHD sufferers who are taking ADHD medication could take the test once during and once outside the active period of their ADHD medication.
This test tests the patience of the participants.
Due to a change in technology, we have to re-implement the reaction test. We hope that it will be available again in summer 2023.
1.8. SCT self-test for Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) / Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS)¶
The SCT test takes about 7 minutes.
SCT has long been described as a separate subtype of ADHD, a kind of extreme case of ADHD-I.
More recent research results consider SCT (Sluggish Cognitive Tempo) as an independent disorder that can occur together with ADHD-I, more rarely also with ADHD-HI and also without ADHD.
To the best of our knowledge, the following test is the first German-language online test for SCT.
The results of the ADxS symptom test indicate that there is no correlation between SCT and individual subtypes of ADHD. Rather, it appears to be a separate disorder that can exist in parallel with ADHD-HI or ADHD-I or without an existing ADHD.
The (high) sensitivity self-test tests increased sensitivity and takes a good 10 minutes. Unlike our previous online tests for high sensitivity, the test does not only ask about high sensitivity, as this could cause a strong bias in the answers.
All online tests offered here are not (yet) scientifically validated and will never replace a professional diagnosis. ADHD or SCT cannot be diagnosed by questionnaires alone. This also applies to the tests offered here, no matter how comprehensive they are. A personal medical/psychological diagnosis is always required, preferably by a specialized doctor or psychologist.
The data is used exclusively for scientific purposes. Among other things, it is used to collect and aggregate knowledge about ADHD and is stored and analyzed anonymously by the operators of ADxS.org for this purpose.
No data is stored that allows conclusions to be drawn about the person (in particular no IP addresses, e-mail addresses or names). We do not have and do not want to have any knowledge of the person behind the account. It is not used for any other than scientific purposes.
Anyone who would like to know more about a test that concerns them can make a note of the ID they have provided and send an email to info@adxs.org with their questions. We will only answer these questions if we have been able to verify the authenticity of the questioner by requesting test details. All answers are given solely from a scientific point of view. No statements are made in the direction of a diagnosis or treatment recommendation.
Test results can also be accessed later via the test results links and the test results page of the test account.
2.1. Survey on the duration of effect of medication¶
The duration of action of a single dose of (ADHD) medication varies greatly from individual to individual and differs considerably from the manufacturer’s instructions. Data on the distribution of the duration of action in those affected could help to dose medication more precisely to the individual. Such data is not yet available. Please help to collect this data:
