QbTest Utility for Optimising Treatment in ADHD (QUOTA)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Optimising medication management in children and young people with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using an objective measure of attention, impulsivity and activity (QbTest): a feasibility study
IRAS ID
219538
Contact name
Maddie Groom
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN69461593
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 31 days
Research summary
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects 3-5% of young people under 18-years-old. Young people with ADHD have difficulties with attention, impulsivity and hyperactivity that make it harder for them to learn, form relationships and prepare for adulthood.
Clinical guidelines state that young people taking medication for ADHD should be closely monitored and have their medication reviewed regularly to ensure they receive the correct dose to improve their symptoms. However, many young people aren’t monitored as closely as guidelines recommend. This can lead to lack of improvement or worsening of symptoms meaning that children may not experience the benefits of medication as quickly as they should.
At the moment, assessing whether or not medication is working relies on the opinions of teachers and parents, collected through questionnaires. The difficulties of this are: differences of opinion between people, lack of information provided by them, and not returning the questionnaires. A test performed on a computer (QbTest) provides doctors with a report of the young person’s symptoms and can therefore show whether medication is working. This may help doctors reach accurate decisions about medication dose more quickly, reducing the need for questionnaires.
We met with families and young people with ADHD and medical experts and developed a procedure for using QbTest to measure medication effects. We will measure how well this procedure works in the real world by asking a group of young people to complete the test when they first start taking medication and at their follow-up appointments. We will ask doctors and families/young people for their opinions on the procedure.
We shall share our findings with other researchers and with the public by attending local support groups and providing summaries of the study results. The findings will be used to prepare for a future study.REC name
West of Scotland REC 1
REC reference
17/WS/0209
Date of REC Opinion
7 Nov 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion