Anyone familiar with Quotient testing for ADHD?

[provenance61]

Has anyone else used Quotient testing for their child?  Was it helpful?  It is a computerized test which supposedly tracks responses and attention. This sounds good. However, when I read about it many insurance companies don't cover as it is still considered experimental and there is some controversy over its use. 

[PeterPan]

Each psych has how they like to do things.  There are other tests, like the TOVA, and each psych has their opinions on what they like, why they do things the way they do.  I don't think, based on our experience and talking with a variety of psychs, that a computer test is necessarily more accurate than the BRIEF or EF survey.  There are a number of factors that can affect performance on those tests, which is why some psychs take them with a grain of salt or don't bother with them at all.  You'll pretty much just roll with whatever the psych uses.  So it sounds like you need a psych covered by your insurance?

[provenance61]

We started with a neurologist consult, the Quotient was testing through him.  Then we are proceeding with full neuropsych testing.  We are self-pay in full, although we can submit and if covered our insurance may refund a small percentage back to us.  But the costs are very high.  And I'm concerned that a lot of the testing may not be covered if it is considered educational/learning issues rather than attention.

 

Am not familiar with BRIEF or EF but they sound similar to Vanderbilt eval we had a few years back.  We definitely see ADHD-I and slow processing issues.  Am very concerned as Quotient testing (which sounds similar to TOVA) came back as no attention issues except for mild auditory delay.  So am wondering how it could not or if processing and EF can actually be standalone diagnoses.  At any rate when I came home from feedback I was wondering how to weigh this against parent and teacher observations.  We need to wait a month to complete neuropsych testing and get that eval.  Any other thoughts?

 

 

[PeterPan]

My ds does that, with attention results varying on the computer tests. If they particularly like computer stuff, they may engage. Some psychs won't use computer tests and others do them but take them with a grain of salt. What happened is common. Sorry it's so expensive. :(

[provenance61]

Thanks!  :)

 

So it's possible to still have ADHD and not show inattentiveness on the computerized test?  Then how would they possibly know?  And is EF and processing always a part of ADHD do you think?

 

[PeterPan]

Yes he could still get an ADHD label. No EF alone does not go ADHD.

 

We had different answers from 3 psychs. I'm pretty cynical at this point. Deal with what you see, that's all I can say.

[provenance61]

We actually already have diagnosis, although from pediatrician just based on observations.  What we really want now is to find ways to help.  Changing school environment was enough at first, and I thought I could help with organization and planning skills.  But we're seeing more of a need as he gets older and my efforts aren't making enough of a change. 

 

I am so hoping this will make a difference, and at least we will get recommendations for more time on college testing that may make a difference.  And more of an idea how his mind works. 

 

We are half-way through the eval process now, and I am just hoping that this eval will be worth the effort.  I am getting cynical, too, through the process so far.  We were charged several hundred dollars in addition to the feedback cost (so far) as we went over 40 minutes (in addition to the actual testing and fees for their reading the tests, of course), to thoroughly understand that there are no issues yet. Despite the fact that there are, somewhere. Yikes. 

 

 

[PeterPan]

The psychs we've used were all private (not with a hospital) and had a flat fee.  Sorry it has been unpredictable and frustrating for you.  

[Tiramisu]

I'm not familiar with this test at all, but my oldest had some visual processing issues and one np told us that a lot of the ADHD tests are dependent on reliable visual processing and that might throw off results.

[Soror]

Hmmm,,, I thought ds had this one done at some point put I don't see it on our original report, maybe it was in our last one, I'll have to pull it out again.

[Targhee]

Thanks! :)

 

So it's possible to still have ADHD and not show inattentiveness on the computerized test? Then how would they possibly know? And is EF and processing always a part of ADHD do you think?

I can say for sure that one of my ADHD kids does not have slow processing (above average), one has average, and the third is unknown.

 

I was told by one of the psychologists we went to that ADHD was best described as EF deficiency. But that is not how it is described in the DSM.

[Storygirl]

Our former pediatrician owned a Quotient system and gave the test to my son several times. The ped felt that it was an objective way to measure attention, compared to the surveys that are commonly used, which are subjective, so he put a lot of stock in it. I found the results for my son fascinating, but I don't know if it was a better diagnostic tool than the surveys. I'm glad we did both methods (Quotient with the ped; Connors with the psych).

 

Our ped tested him before and after putting him on meds, as a way of seeing if the meds were effective or if the dosage needed to be changed. Pre-meds, DS could not do the test at all. As in, it showed 0% attention. The ped said DS did no better than someone who was just randomly pushing the buttons without trying at all. Not that DS was not trying, but that he was just unable to do it. His scores did improve very slightly the next time he took it after he had started meds, but not by much. The ped adjusted the meds several times, and after awhile we did find a medicine and dosage that worked for DS, but his Quotient test was still not showing much improvement.

 

Around this same time, DS was tested by a NP and received many diagnoses, and we mentioned to the ped that DS's other issues may be skewing the test results -- that it wasn't just attention or EF that were affecting his performance on the test (although DS does have clear deficits in those areas). The ped agreed, and he didn't run any more Quotients after that.

 

So in our case, I found the test to be really interesting as a piece of the diagnostic puzzle, but not definitive in and of itself.

[Storygirl]

I don't know if there is a definitive link between ADHD and processing. Our family is still learning, though. EF, on the other hand, seems like it goes more hand in hand with ADHD.

 

DS11 --  has ADHD combined type, and has a very low processing speed (2%).

 

DD10 -- The NP thinks she has ADHD inattention type (not yet diagnosed), but she has a 99% processing speed.

 

Both ADHD. Opposite processing abilities. Go figure.

 

Incidentally, they both have good working memory, even though I've read that many kids with ADHD have poor working memory.

 

ETA: They were evaluated by two different NP, and each NP said they should have extended time for test taking, among other accommodations (but they do both have other LDs in addition to the ADHD).

[Cammom220]

My DC took the quotient test as part of his neuropsych- I'm a fan. While the results showed moderate issues with attention and hyperactivity, my DC's real Achille's Heel is impulsivity. The test picked right up on it.

 

DC loves computers, has no vision issues that we're aware of, and is a fast processor with a gifted intellect and working memory. DC is also very motivated to show off for adults, so would have tried hard to remain focused during testing.

 

I thought the quotient test spotlighted what we have always known- extremely impulsive.

 

I mentioned the other stuff because I don't know how well the quotient test would work if a child has other issues- especially vision or processing speed.

[kbutton]

I don't know a lot about quotient testing, but our ped won't look at anything except Vanderbilt survey scores, and he's the one that prescribes the meds.

 

If your psych doesn't see this is ADHD-related, I would still be requesting that he give suggestions for the issues you are having. That is what he is paid for. If he only wants test evidence and not behavior, I would bring up my dissatisfaction with that.