Built on Research,
Designed for Real Life
Our framework doesn't replace clinical diagnosis. It translates decades of ADHD research into a language that actually helps you understand your brain.
How We Built This
Academic Foundation
Every dimension maps to published, peer-reviewed research. We draw from Barkley, Brown, Sonuga-Barke, and the DSM-5 — not pseudoscience or brain scans.
Community Validation
Questions were tested with real ADHD communities on Reddit, TikTok, and Discord. If a question didn't resonate, we cut it. Clinical accuracy means nothing if it doesn't feel true.
Dimensional, Not Categorical
You're not “a Storm” the way you're “an INTJ.” You have a pattern across 5 dimensions that shifts with context, stress, and life stage. Modes are fluid.
The 5+1 Dimension Model
Your ADHD experience is scored across 5 cognitive dimensions plus a masking detection layer. Together, they identify your dominant mode.
Emotional Reactivity
How intensely you experience emotions and how quickly you return to baseline. Based on Barkley's Deficient Emotional Self-Regulation framework.
Barkley DESR Model (2015)Cognitive Tempo
Your brain's processing speed and attentional consistency. Measures the spectrum from racing hyperfocus to sluggish cognitive tempo.
Barkley SCT Research (2012)Executive Activation
Your ability to initiate, organize, and sustain effort on tasks. Based on Brown's 6-cluster executive function model.
Brown ADD Model (2005)Reward Sensitivity
How your dopamine system responds to rewards and novelty. Measures the urgency-boredom spectrum that drives ADHD behavior.
Sonuga-Barke Dual-Pathway (2003)Sensory / Internal Focus
Where your attention naturally gravitates — external stimuli vs. internal imagination. The daydreaming-to-hypersensitivity axis.
DSM-5 Inattentive CriteriaSocial Masking
How much energy you spend hiding your ADHD from the world. Detects compensatory behaviors that mask your natural cognitive patterns.
Hull et al. (2017) Camouflaging ResearchWhat This Test Is Not
Not a Diagnosis
This tool does not diagnose ADHD. It maps your cognitive patterns to help you understand yourself. For diagnosis, see a qualified clinician.
Not a Replacement for Therapy
Our strategies are starting points, not treatment plans. If you're struggling, please work with a professional who understands ADHD.
Not Permanent Labels
Your mode can shift with context, medication, and life stage. We encourage retesting periodically. You're not a box.
Ready to Map Your Brain?
36 questions. 5 minutes. Science-backed, community-validated, and completely free.
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