Test Overview
Digit Span Test
TypeMemory Test
DifficultyAdaptive
QuestionsForward + Backward
Duration2-3 min
Covered skills
Short-term memoryWorking memoryAttentionMental manipulationSequential processingDigit recall
Relevant for
A core subtest of the Wechsler IQ battery — used in ADHD assessment, memory clinics, and cognitive screening worldwide.
Description
Test your working memory span with the classic Digit Span task — a core subtest from the Wechsler IQ battery.
How It Works:
1. Forward Phase — Digits appear one at a time. Type them back in the same order.
2. Backward Phase — Same digits, but you type them in reverse.
Each length has 2 trials. If you fail both, the phase ends.
Why It Matters: Forward span measures short-term storage capacity. Backward span measures working memory — holding AND manipulating information at once. These two abilities dissociate in many clinical conditions, which is why Digit Span is one of the most widely used cognitive subtests in the world.
Average adult: 7 digits forward, 5 digits backward. Total span of 12.