Continuous performance task

A continuous performance task, continuous performance test, or CPT, is any of several kinds of neuropsychological test that measures a person's sustained and selective attention. Sustained attention is the ability to maintain a consistent focus on some continuous activity or stimuli, and is associated with impulsivity. Selective attention is the ability to focus on relevant stimuli and ignore competing stimuli. This skill is associated with distractibility.^[1]

There are a variety of CPTs, the more commonly used being the Integrated Visual and Auditory CPT (IVA-2),^[2] Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A.) and the Conners' CPT-III.^[3] These attention tests are often used as part of a battery of tests to understand a person's 'executive functioning' or their capacity to sort and manage information. They may also be used specifically to support or to help rule out a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder. In addition, there are some CPTs, such as QbTest ^[4] and Quotient, that combine attention and impulsivity measures with motion tracking analysis. These types of CPTs can assist health professionals with objective information regarding the three core symptoms of ADHD: hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity.