Normative Data for Objective ADHD Smartphone Application in a General Population

Normative data for objective measures in the clinical assessment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are crucial for enhancing the accuracy, reliability, and clinical utility of diagnostic tools. This observational study aimed to establish normative demographic data in a representative population for an investigational version of QbMobile (QbMobile), a software application for the administration of a performance test to provide objective measurements of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity in the clinical assessment of ADHD.

This study was conducted in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany, and the United States. Participants between 6-60 years were included. The QbMobile application was pre-installed on the smart device/iPhone. Participants were instructed to sit holding the smartphone with both hands and tap the screen each time a target stimulus appeared on-screen and withhold tapping to all other stimuli. The smartphone tracked the participants' movements with the camera and movements from the smartphone to measure activity.

A total of 2541 participants completed the study, n=326 aged 6-11 years and n=2215 aged 12-60 years. There were more females (55.7%) than males (44.3%). Demographic and characteristics variables had no impact on the data collected. Household income and educational levels were investigated to ensure sufficient spread across countries. The basic parameters of QbMobile were captured and evaluated during the assessment. There was a high degree of acceptance of the test, and 94% reported that the application was easy to use.

Representative normative data for QbMobile was established from a multinational general population and should provide a useful basis as a comparator for other datasets, such as people with ADHD.