What the ASRS measures
The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1) was developed by researchers working with the World Health Organization to help adults recognize possible ADHD symptoms. The 18 questions on this page are the ASRS v1.1 Symptom Checklist. Nine ask about inattention, such as finishing the final details of a project, staying organized, remembering appointments, and keeping focus during boring work. The other nine ask about hyperactivity and impulsivity, such as fidgeting, restlessness, talking over others, and trouble waiting your turn.
Each question asks how often a pattern has shown up over the past six months.
How this page scores your answers
Each answer is worth points: Never = 0, Rarely = 1, Sometimes = 2, Often = 3, and Very Often = 4. This page adds up all 18 answers for a total between 0 and 72 and places it in one of four ranges: unlikely (0–16), possible (17–23), likely (24–36), and highly likely (37–72).
Those ranges are this page's simple guide, not an official ASRS scoring rule. The standard ASRS v1.1 screener that clinicians use looks most closely at the first six questions (Part A) and counts how many answers reach a set frequency. Four or more such answers suggest a full evaluation is worthwhile. Because this page totals all 18 answers instead, treat your range as a rough signal and bring your answers to a clinician.
What a screening can't tell you
No online test can diagnose ADHD. A diagnosis comes from a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified clinician, who looks at things a checklist can't:
- Whether several symptoms were present in childhood, before age 12.
- Whether symptoms show up in more than one part of life, such as work and home, and cause real problems there.
- Whether something else explains them better. Anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, poor sleep, thyroid problems, and substance use can all make focus and organization harder.
When to talk to a therapist
Consider reaching out if your result falls in the possible range or higher, if these patterns go back as far as you can remember, or if they are causing missed deadlines, money stress, or strain in your relationships.
Treatment for adult ADHD often combines approaches. Therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) adapted for ADHD, can help with planning, organization, and the frustration and self-doubt that often build up over the years. Therapists do not prescribe medication. If medication is part of your plan, a psychiatrist, primary care provider, or other prescriber manages it, and your therapist can work alongside them.