How to Read Your ImPACT Report: A Plain-Language Guide to Composite Scores, Percentiles, and Validity Flags

If you’ve received an ImPACT report — whether a baseline or a post-injury test — and found yourself staring at numbers without understanding what they mean, you’re not alone. Here’s a plain-language guide.

The four composite scores

ImPACT produces scores for verbal memory (how well you remember words and verbal information), visual memory (how well you remember shapes, patterns, and spatial information), visual motor speed (how quickly you can match symbols and process visual information), and reaction time (how fast you respond to stimuli, measured in seconds). For the first three, higher is better. For reaction time, lower is better (faster responses = lower number).

Percentiles

Each score is compared to normative data for your age and sex. A score at the 50th percentile means you performed better than 50% of healthy people your age. Scores above the 25th percentile are generally considered within the normal range. Scores between the 10th and 25th percentile warrant attention. Scores below the 10th percentile may indicate impairment — or may reflect the athlete’s normal function if they have ADHD, learning disabilities, or other factors that affect cognitive testing.

Validity indicators

ImPACT includes embedded measures that flag potentially unreliable results. The Impulse Control composite, derived from the Color Match module, is particularly important — it measures whether the test-taker was responding thoughtfully or clicking randomly. Very high impulse control scores (many errors) may indicate the test was taken without adequate effort or attention. Other flags include processing speed significantly below expected minimums and inconsistency patterns within subtests. See also what makes a baseline invalid.

The color-coded report

ImPACT reports use a traffic-light color system — green (within normal limits), yellow (borderline/warranting attention), and red (below expected range). These colors provide quick visual reference but should always be interpreted by a trained professional who considers the full clinical context.

How we walk you through it

At Headquarters, we review every ImPACT report with families in plain language. We explain what each score means, how it compares to the athlete’s individual baseline (not just population norms), and what the clinical implications are. You should never leave a concussion appointment confused about your child’s test results.

Frequently asked questions