Adult ADHD Sample Items

Adult ADHD Sample Questions

The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) was developed by the WHO with Kessler et al. (2005). It's the most widely used adult ADHD screen. Below are sample items covering both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity domains.

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Sample Questions

1. How often do you have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project, once the challenging parts have been done?
Answer: Often or Very Often → screens positive on this item
Inattention. Probes task-completion difficulty.
2. How often do you have difficulty getting things in order when you have to do a task that requires organization?
Answer: Often or Very Often → positive
Inattention. Probes organizational difficulty.
3. How often do you have problems remembering appointments or obligations?
Answer: Often or Very Often → positive
Inattention. Probes prospective memory.
4. When you have a task that requires a lot of thought, how often do you avoid or delay getting started?
Answer: Often or Very Often → positive
Inattention. Probes task initiation and procrastination.
5. How often do you fidget or squirm with your hands or feet when you have to sit down for a long time?
Answer: Often or Very Often → positive
Hyperactivity. Probes physical restlessness.
6. How often do you feel overly active and compelled to do things, like you were driven by a motor?
Answer: Often or Very Often → positive
Hyperactivity. Probes internal restlessness/drive.

How It's Scored

The ASRS-v1.1 short-screen uses 6 items. If you score 'often' or 'very often' on 4 or more items, the screen is positive — meaning your responses are consistent with adult ADHD and clinical assessment is the recommended next step. The full 18-item ASRS provides per-symptom severity ratings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ASRS score indicates possible ADHD?

On the 6-item Part A screener, four or more responses in the shaded (symptomatic) range is a positive screen. Part A alone identifies the large majority of adults likely to have ADHD.

Is the ASRS enough to diagnose ADHD?

No. A positive ASRS screen means a full clinical evaluation is warranted — diagnosis requires a clinician to confirm childhood onset, symptom persistence, and impairment across settings.

How many questions does the ASRS have?

18 items in total: Part A contains the six most predictive questions, and Part B covers the remaining twelve DSM-based symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity.

Is the ASRS suitable for children?

No — the ASRS-v1.1 was developed by the WHO for adults 18 and over. Children and teenagers are screened with different instruments, such as the Vanderbilt or Conners scales.

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