Adult ADHD Screener (ASRS-v1.1)

About the ASRS-v1.1

The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) was developed in 2005 by a workgroup at the World Health Organization in collaboration with researchers including Dr. Ronald Kessler at Harvard Medical School. The 6-question Part A is the most widely used brief screener for adult ADHD, validated against structured clinical interviews.

It is in the public domain and is reproduced here verbatim from the official instrument.

How the Validated Cutoff Differs From This Sum Score

This page presents your result as a sum (0–24) for educational simplicity. The validated ASRS scoring uses a slightly different rule: it counts how many of the six questions you answered at or above a question-specific threshold (questions 1–3 require "Sometimes" or higher; questions 4–6 require "Often" or higher). Four or more such answers indicates symptoms highly consistent with adult ADHD and warrants a full evaluation.

If you scored in the moderate or strong range here, you very likely also meet the validated 4+ cutoff. Either way, the next step is professional evaluation, not self-diagnosis.

What the ASRS Does (and Does Not) Do

The ASRS is a screener, not a diagnosis. ADHD overlaps with many other conditions — anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep disorders, chronic pain, thyroid problems, and learning disabilities — that produce similar attention and executive function symptoms. A trained clinician can untangle these.

ADHD diagnosis in adults requires a comprehensive evaluation that typically includes:

• A clinical interview about lifelong patterns (ADHD must show evidence of symptoms before age 12)
• Standardized rating scales completed by you and someone who knows you well
• Ruling out other explanations
• Functional impairment in two or more areas of life

Next Steps

If your score suggests mild or higher symptoms, consider:

• Reading about ADHD to understand the condition better
• Exploring evidence-based therapy options — CBT and DBT are well-supported for adult ADHD, often alongside medication
• Speaking with your primary care provider for a referral, or contacting a psychiatrist or ADHD-specialized therapist directly

Citation

Kessler, R. C., Adler, L., Ames, M., Demler, O., Faraone, S., Hiripi, E., Howes, M. J., Jin, R., Secnik, K., Spencer, T., Ustun, T. B., & Walters, E. E. (2005). The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): A short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 245-256.