Skip to content

Evidence and benchmarks

Where Puberty Lab's guidance comes from, what each tool is for, and what we deliberately don't do yet.

Clinical rules version 2026.11-draft1, awaiting the clinical advisory board. A screening tool is never a diagnosis; questionnaire tools stay off until their licence, age validation and a clinician-reviewed pathway are in place.

In useGrowthOpen

WHO Growth Reference 2007 (5-19 years)

Height-for-age and BMI-for-age z-scores and percentiles · ages 5-19 years

Status
In use: growth tracker (src/lib/growth).
Licence
Published by WHO for public use; tables taken unchanged from WHO's anthroplus repository.
Respondents
Measurements
Indian versions
IAP 2015 charts exist for Indian children; adding them as a second view needs advisory-board review.
In useGrowthOpen

WHO adult BMI bands with Asian action points (2004)

Adult BMI from 19 years 1 month · ages 19+

Status
In use: growth tracker for adults.
Licence
Public WHO guidance.
Respondents
Measurements
Indian versions
Uses the lower Asian cut points (23, 27.5).
In usePubertyOpen

Tanner sexual maturity rating

Clinician-led physical assessment · ages 8-18

Status
Recorded only by a verified paediatric clinician on the care team. No photographs, no self-staging, no AI grading.
Licence
Public domain staging; use requires clinical training.
Respondents
Clinician only
Indian versions
n/a
Not in useMental healthFree, with terms

PHQ-A / PHQ-9

Depression screening within a professional pathway · ages PHQ-A 11-17; PHQ-9 18+

Status
Built (Phase 2): PHQ-A 11-17 and PHQ-9 18+, sent by a clinician on the care team, results to that clinician only; an item-9 or suicide answer opens a safeguarding case at once. Off until Admin records the clinical board's approval.
Licence
No permission needed to reproduce (Pfizer); keep wording unchanged.
Respondents
Self
Indian versions
Hindi and other Indian-language versions exist; choose validated ones.
Not in useMental healthFree, with terms

GAD-7

Anxiety screening within a professional pathway · ages Validated mainly 13+ / adults

Status
Built (Phase 2) for 13+: sent by a clinician on the care team, results to that clinician only. Off until Admin records the clinical board's approval.
Licence
No permission needed to reproduce (Pfizer).
Respondents
Self
Indian versions
Hindi versions exist.
Not in useSuicide riskOpen

ASQ (Ask Suicide-Screening Questions)

Immediate safety assessment by trained staff · ages 10-24

Status
Built (Phase 2): asked by a safeguarding lead in a safety case, who records the answers; a positive screen gives the next step on the NIMH pathway. Never sent to fill in alone, never by the AI. Off until Admin records the clinical board's approval.
Licence
NIMH, public domain.
Respondents
Self, asked by trained staff
Indian versions
Needs a validated local-language version and a local protocol.
Not in useSubstance useFree, with terms

CRAFFT 2.1

Age-appropriate substance-use screening · ages 12-21

Status
Not built: needs Boston Children's Hospital's permission for digital use before its wording goes into the app.
Licence
Free for clinical use with attribution (Boston Children's Hospital); check terms for digital use.
Respondents
Self
Indian versions
To confirm.
Not in useADHDTo confirm

NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scales

Multi-informant screening (parent and teacher) · ages 6-12

Status
Phase 2 referral pathway; interpreted by a professional.
Licence
Widely distributed; confirm digital-use terms with the publisher.
Respondents
Parent, teacher
Indian versions
To confirm.
Not in useADHDLicence needed

Conners 4

Multi-informant assessment · ages 6-18

Status
Professional use only, outside the app until licensed.
Licence
Commercial (MHS); per-use licence.
Respondents
Parent, teacher, self
Indian versions
To confirm.
Not in useADHDTo confirm

SNAP-IV

Symptom rating · ages 6-18

Status
Not used yet.
Licence
Public versions circulate; confirm permission.
Respondents
Parent, teacher
Indian versions
Some Indian validation studies exist.
Not in useAutismLicence needed

SRS-2

Specialist assessment pathway · ages 2.5 years to adult

Status
Specialist use only.
Licence
Commercial (WPS).
Respondents
Parent, teacher, self
Indian versions
To confirm.
Not in useAutismLicence needed

SCQ

Screening for referral · ages 4+ (mental age 2+)

Status
Not used yet.
Licence
Commercial (WPS).
Respondents
Parent
Indian versions
To confirm.
Not in useExecutive functionLicence needed

BRIEF-2

Executive function assessment · ages 5-18

Status
Professional use only.
Licence
Commercial (PAR).
Respondents
Parent, teacher, self (11-18)
Indian versions
To confirm.
Not in useBehaviourLicence needed

SDQ (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire)

Emotional and behavioural screening · ages 2-17 (self-report 11-17)

Status
Needs a digital licence before use.
Licence
Paper use free for non-commercial purposes; online or commercial use needs a licence from Youthinmind.
Respondents
Parent, teacher, self
Indian versions
Hindi and several Indian-language versions exist.
Not in useQuality of lifeLicence needed

PedsQL 4.0

Wellbeing assessment · ages 2-18; young adult 18-25

Status
Not used yet.
Licence
Licensed through Mapi Research Trust; fees for commercial use.
Respondents
Parent, self
Indian versions
Indian-language versions available through the licensor.
Not in useSleepOpen

BEARS sleep screening

Sleep problem screening · ages 2-18

Status
Not built: the published wording for each age needs verifying first. The health profile and the sleep diary ask their own sleep questions against AASM recommendations.
Licence
Published screening interview (Owens and Dalzell, 2005).
Respondents
Parent, self (older children)
Indian versions
To confirm.
In useFitnessOpen

WHO guidelines on physical activity (2020)

Activity compared with the recommendation · ages 5-17; adults

Status
In use: baseline activity finding.
Licence
Public WHO guidance.
Respondents
Self, parent
Indian versions
n/a
In useSleepOpen

AASM recommended sleep durations (2016)

Sleep duration compared with the recommendation · ages 4 months-18; NSF for 18+

Status
In use: baseline sleep finding.
Licence
Published consensus statement.
Respondents
Self, parent
Indian versions
n/a
In useGeneral healthOpen

WHO adolescent health framework (AA-HA!)

Preventive health priorities · ages 10-19

Status
Shapes the curriculum.
Licence
Public WHO guidance.
Respondents
n/a
Indian versions
RKSK is India's national adolescent health programme.
Not in useNeuropsychologyLicence needed

Age-normed cognitive batteries

Assessment by a qualified professional · ages Varies

Status
Outside the app; results can be summarised by a clinician as a clinical note.
Licence
Commercial batteries; administered and interpreted by qualified professionals.
Respondents
Professional
Indian versions
Use Indian norms where available (for example NIMHANS batteries).