Continuous performance tests
Short answer
A continuous performance test (CPT) is a computer task that asks you to keep responding to simple targets for a stretch of time, sampling attention and impulse control. Examples include the Conners CPT, the T.O.V.A. and QbTest. Research reviews and NICE agree that CPT results support a clinical assessment but should never be used alone to diagnose ADHD.
The name describes the idea. Rather than answering questions about yourself, you perform a task continuously, usually responding to some things on a screen and holding back from others. Software records how you respond across the whole session.
The family of tests
Some newer tests add movement tracking or virtual reality, but the core is the same: a repetitive task that samples how attention and response control hold up over time.
What the evidence says, in plain terms
Why a task cannot stand alone
ADHD is defined by patterns across years and settings, starting in childhood. A CPT captures one session in one room. Fatigue, nerves, motivation, medication, mood and learning differences can all shift a result. Some people perform well under the novelty of a test and struggle in everyday life; others do the opposite.
Who gives them
Commercial CPTs are licensed to clinicians and clinics, run on the maker's software, and scored against the maker's reference data. Some are FDA-cleared medical devices. They are typically given by psychologists, neuropsychologists or ADHD services as part of a wider assessment. A free attention game online may look similar but is not the same instrument and has no clinical meaning.
Self-report and task tests are different tools
The free ASRS v1.1 screener here is a six-question self-report. It asks how often certain experiences happened in your life over the past six months, across many settings. A CPT samples performance in a single, controlled situation. Each captures something the other misses. Neither one is a diagnosis, and neither is ranked above the other on this page.
If you are offered a CPT, it is reasonable to ask the clinician how they will use the result and what else they will consider. Good assessments use it as a supporting detail.
You can also ask what happens if the result and your own account point in different directions. A thoughtful answer usually involves looking at history and other sources rather than letting one number decide
Questions worth asking before a CPT
- Which test is this, and is it given in the clinic or remotely?
- Should I sleep, eat or take my usual medicines as normal beforehand?
- How much weight will the result carry next to the interview and my history?
- What would I want a clinician to know about my sleep, stress or health before a computer test?
- Does my attention change a lot between quiet and busy settings?
A starting point for your next step.
Looking for a first step you can take now? The free six-question ASRS v1.1 screener asks about everyday life over the past six months.Frequently asked questions
Can a continuous performance test diagnose ADHD?
No. Systematic reviews and NICE agree that CPT results should support a full clinical assessment, not replace it.
Are online attention games the same as a CPT?
No. Clinical CPTs are licensed instruments scored against reference data and interpreted by clinicians. A free online game has no clinical meaning.
Which tests are CPTs?
Examples named in research and guidance include the Conners CPT, the T.O.V.A., the Gordon Diagnostic System, the Integrated Visual and Auditory CPT, and QbTest, which adds motion tracking.
Sources
Source check: 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.
- Varela JL, Magnante AT, Miskey HM, Ord AS, Eldridge A, Shura RD. A systematic review of the utility of continuous performance tests among adults with ADHD. The Clinical Neuropsychologist. 2024;38(7):1524-1585.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Digital technologies for assessing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). HealthTech guidance HTG729 (formerly diagnostics guidance DG60). Published 21 October 2024.
- Bellato A, Hall CL, Groom MJ, Simonoff E, Thapar A, Hollis C, Cortese S. Practitioner Review: Clinical utility of the QbTest for the assessment and diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2024;65(6):845-861.
- NIMH, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: What You Need to Know
Published 2026-10-28. Factual source check: ADHDFalcon editorial team, factual source check, 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.