Cognitive Function Test
Reflect on everyday thinking difficulties with 25 original questions covering memory, attention, word-finding, executive function, and processing speed. Get a five-domain breakdown and an optional PDF of your result; this self-report cannot detect dementia or measure cognitive ability.
Cognitive Function Test is a free, confidential 25-question self-assessment, original items informed by cognitive-lapse research. It takes about 5 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 4 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
What this assessment explores
A forgotten detail and a new difficulty managing daily tasks are not the same concern. This page helps you describe what you notice and prepare useful examples for a healthcare professional.
Separate areas of everyday thinking
Five original statements cover each domain so memory does not dominate the result. The breakdown can highlight where you notice difficulty, such as keeping attention on a task versus retrieving a familiar word. These are our own descriptive groupings, not validated CFQ subscales or separate ability tests.
Lapses in recognizable situations
The questions ask about ordinary activities over the past month. They do not ask you to perform timed tasks or remember a word list. That makes this a record of your experience, with the strengths and limits of self-report, rather than a disguised intelligence or dementia test.
Change and functioning come first
The result explains why recent change, safety, and effects on daily life matter more than a total. It includes clear guidance for sudden confusion and persistent concerns, and links to narrower educational pages when you need more specific language for an appointment.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| What is assessed | May blur self-report with performance testing | Your reported frequency of everyday lapses |
| Domain coverage | May focus mainly on memory | Five items in each of five domains |
| Subscale status | Source of groupings may be unclear | Our own unvalidated groupings, not CFQ factors |
| Ability claims | May offer a brain age or intelligence estimate | No brain age, IQ, or ability estimate |
| Dementia claims | Some pages suggest online detection | Cannot detect or rule out dementia |
| Next steps | May focus on training games | Medical review for persistent change; urgent help for sudden confusion |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–100 in total. Your result falls into one of 4 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–25 | Fewer lapses reported | You reported relatively few of these experiences. Recent changes and everyday functioning still matter more than the total. |
| 26–50 | Some recurring lapses | You noticed several everyday difficulties. Identify when they occur and whether they represent a change for you. |
| 51–75 | Frequent lapses reported | These difficulties appear frequent in your answers. A medical conversation is appropriate, particularly if daily tasks have become harder. |
| 76–100 | Very frequent lapses reported | You reported difficulty across much of this questionnaire. Prioritize a medical assessment and practical support for daily responsibilities. |
Methodology & sources
This original questionnaire is informed by the study of everyday cognitive failures, including Broadbent and colleagues’ Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), published in 1982. The CFQ concerns self-reported lapses; we have not copied its items or administered it here. Our 25 original statements use a past-month timeframe and a 0 to 4 frequency scale, with no reversed items. Five items belong to each of our own descriptive domains: memory, attention, language/word-finding, executive function, and processing speed. Each domain ranges from 0 to 20, and the total ranges from 0 to 100. These five domains are not the CFQ’s validated subscales, and their apparent separation should not be mistaken for proof that different brain systems have been measured.
This exact questionnaire is unvalidated. Total-score bands of 0 to 25, 26 to 50, 51 to 75, and 76 to 100 are educational divisions, not clinical cutoffs, age norms, or probabilities of illness. Higher scores mean more reported difficulty, not lower measured ability. Self-awareness, the tasks you encounter, language, sleep, health, and current circumstances can influence responses. This is not the MoCA, MMSE, or SLUMS, which are clinician-administered assessments, and it cannot detect or rule out dementia. The related /tests/memory-screen and /tests/dementia pages also require cautious interpretation. New or worsening difficulties deserve medical attention regardless of score; sudden confusion requires urgent assessment rather than finishing this questionnaire.
References
- Broadbent DE, Cooper PF, FitzGerald P, Parkes KR. The Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) and its correlates. British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 1982;21(1):1–16. doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1982.tb01421.x
- National Institute on Aging. Memory Problems, Forgetfulness, and Aging. nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-symptoms-and-diagnosis/do-memory-problems-always-mean-alzheimers-disease
- Saint Louis University, Division of Geriatric Medicine. SLU Mental Status Exam. slu.edu/medicine/internal-medicine/geriatric-medicine/aging-successfully/mental-status-exam.php
- National Health Service. Sudden confusion (delirium). nhs.uk/symptoms/confusion/
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 13). Cognitive Function Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/cognitive-function
Cognitive Function Test FAQ
Is this a cognitive ability test?
No. It is a self-report about how often you notice everyday lapses. It does not time your thinking, test recall under controlled conditions, or measure intelligence. Someone who notices many mistakes can still perform well on formal tasks, and someone who reports few concerns can still need assessment. Use it to describe your experience, not to certify your abilities.
Can this detect dementia or replace the MoCA, MMSE, or SLUMS?
No. This is not the MoCA, MMSE, or SLUMS; those are clinician-administered assessments with specific procedures. This questionnaire cannot detect or rule out dementia. The <a href="/tests/memory-screen">memory concern screen</a> and <a href="/tests/dementia">dementia concern test</a> offer additional educational reflection, but persistent or progressive change should be assessed medically.
How does this differ from brain fog or executive function tests?
This page covers five broad areas equally. The <a href="/tests/brain-fog">brain fog test</a> focuses on the experience of mental cloudiness, while the <a href="/tests/executive-function">executive function test</a> explores managing tasks in more detail. These concepts overlap, and taking several questionnaires cannot identify the cause of a difficulty.
What if a statement does not fit my usual activities?
Think of the closest comparable activity you actually do. If there is no reasonable example, do not invent a lapse or assume that absence of opportunity proves intact functioning. You can stop and describe the concern directly to a clinician. The engine requires every answer to produce a score and has no separate not-applicable adjustment, which limits comparisons between people.
When should I seek help instead of taking a test?
Seek urgent medical help for sudden confusion, especially with new trouble speaking, weakness, severe headache, or a marked change in alertness. Do not drive yourself. For gradual concerns, arrange medical review when thinking difficulties are new, worsening, or interfering with ordinary responsibilities. A reassuring questionnaire result should not delay that conversation.
Is it free, and what happens to my information?
The questions and on-screen results are free, with no account or email needed. Scoring happens in your browser. The supplied engine keeps answers in this tab’s session storage and records usage events. If you request a PDF by email or buy a report, summary scores are sent for that service; individual item answers are not sent by those flows. Use a private device if others can access your browser.
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