Do I Have Pica Quiz

People who notice recurring urges to eat nonfood substances, difficulty stopping, or related physical effects may find the Do I Have Pica Quiz relevant to their situation. Questions in this pica quiz focus on recurrence, daily impact, and safety in possible pica-related patterns, keeping attention on the situations its items address.

What This Assessment Explores

The questionnaire examines urges to eat nonfood substances, actual consumption, persistence, attention, concealment, difficulty stopping, disruption, and physical consequences. It suits a person who wants an account of a troubling or uncertain pattern before discussing it. The questions organize possible pica symptoms into themes for further consideration.

The three scales and result bands are:

• Nonfood Urges and Consumption (0-15) reflects endorsed indicators of urges or consumption, ranging from limited experiences to stronger or repeated indicators: No indicator endorsed (0-0), Indicator to notice (1-2), Support warranted (3-15).
• Pattern and Life Impact (0-15) reflects persistence, concealment, difficulty stopping, or disruption: No pattern endorsed (0), Emerging pattern (1-2), Discuss the pattern (3-15).
• Physical and Exposure Concerns (0-15) captures injury, choking, digestive effects, or hazardous exposure: No concern endorsed (0), Concern to follow up (1-2), Prompt action indicated (3-15).

Methodology and Scientific Basis

Each item offers four ordered responses, moving from no experience or concern through isolated features to recurrent, difficult-to-control, disruptive, or hazardous experiences. Grouping the questions this way separates urges and consumption from pattern, impact, and physical exposure.

Results display three scales, but conversion of responses into score values is unspecified. Their bands are reflective prompts, not standardized norms or validated severity cutoffs. A concerning response matters even when a total is low; choking, poisoning, severe pain, bleeding, breathing trouble, collapse, or another acute symptom takes priority over scoring.

The evidence base is conceptually consistent with PARDI, a semi-structured interview for pica and related feeding-disorder presentations, and with pica criteria in DSM-5-TR. This is not PARDI or a DSM interview, but an online pica self-assessment that turns related themes into brief self-report items. Leung and Hon’s review supports attention to medical complications and missed presentations.

Because answers depend on memory, honesty, context, and self-awareness, concern may be understated or overstated. It is not a diagnosis; persistent patterns or physical symptoms warrant professional discussion, while emergencies require immediate help.