Child ADHD Test (Parent Report)
A confidential parent-report screening for ADHD signs in children, informed by the Vanderbilt ADHD Parent Rating Scale and the SNAP-IV. You answer about your child, get separate inattention and hyperactivity scores, an instant plain-language result, and a professional PDF you can bring to your pediatrician. This is a screening, not a diagnosis.
ADHD has two main presentations, and this measures both
ADHD shows up as inattention, as hyperactivity and impulsivity, or as a mix of the two. The clinical rating scales keep these separate because a child can run high on one and low on the other. This screening does the same, so the result actually reflects your child.
Inattention signs
Nine items on focus and follow-through: trouble sustaining attention, careless mistakes, losing things, distractibility, forgetfulness, and difficulty finishing tasks. The quiet presentation that is easy to miss.
Hyperactivity & impulsivity
Nine items on energy and self-control: fidgeting, trouble staying seated, talking excessively, interrupting, blurting answers, and difficulty waiting. The presentation people picture first.
How often, not just yes or no
Each item is rated never, occasionally, often, or very often, matching the Vanderbilt scale. Counting only the often and very often answers as signs keeps the result honest and clinically meaningful.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Informed by validated tools (Vanderbilt, SNAP-IV) | Sometimes | Yes |
| Separate inattention vs hyperactivity scores | No | Yes, both shown |
| Vanderbilt-style frequency scoring | Rarely | Yes, 2-3 counted as signs |
| Affirming, non-pathologizing language | No | Throughout |
| Clear next step (evaluation pathway) | No | Yes |
| Downloadable PDF report | No | Yes, branded & shareable |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
Methodology & sources
This screening is informed by two of the most widely used parent rating scales for childhood ADHD. The item content and structure draw on the NICHQ Vanderbilt ADHD Parent Rating Scale (Wolraich et al., 2003), which is built around the DSM symptom criteria and splits into nine inattention items and nine hyperactivity and impulsivity items. It also draws on the SNAP-IV (Swanson), another DSM-based parent and teacher scale with the same two core dimensions. Each item is rated on a 0 to 3 frequency scale: never, occasionally, often, or very often.
Following the Vanderbilt scoring convention, only items a parent rates as often (2) or very often (3) are counted as symptoms present, because everyday children show many of these behaviors occasionally; what matters clinically is how frequent and consistent they are. Our subscores therefore count the number of items in each dimension that you rated 2 or 3, and the bands reflect how many such signs are present rather than a simple point total. This is a parent screening for education and reflection, not a diagnosis. A formal ADHD evaluation is carried out by a qualified professional, such as a pediatrician, child psychologist, or psychiatrist, and the standard process also requires evidence that difficulties appear in more than one setting, such as home and school, and that they affect daily functioning. We present results in supportive, non-pathologizing language, because ADHD is a difference in how attention and activity are regulated, not a character flaw.
- Wolraich ML, Lambert W, Doffing MA, Bickman L, Simmons T, Worley K. Psychometric properties of the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale in a referred population. J Pediatr Psychol. 2003;28(8):559–568.
- Swanson JM, et al. Clinical relevance of the primary findings of the MTA: success rates based on severity of ADHD and ODD symptoms at the end of treatment. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001;40(2):168–179.
- Bussing R, Fernandez M, Harwood M, et al. Parent and teacher SNAP-IV ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: psychometric properties and normative ratings from a school district sample. Assessment. 2008;15(3):317–328.
- Wolraich ML, Hagan JF, Allan C, et al. Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 2019;144(4):e20192528.
Child ADHD Test (Parent Report) FAQ
What is a child ADHD screening?
It is a short questionnaire a parent completes about their child, rating how often common ADHD behaviors show up across inattention and hyperactivity or impulsivity. This one is informed by the Vanderbilt scale and SNAP-IV. It helps you decide whether a full evaluation is worth pursuing. It is a screening, not a diagnosis.
Why are only often and very often counted?
Almost every child fidgets, loses things, or gets distracted sometimes. The clinical scales, including the Vanderbilt, only count a behavior as a sign when it happens often or very often, because frequency and consistency are what distinguish ADHD from ordinary childhood. This screening follows the same rule so the result is meaningful.
What do the result ranges mean?
Results sort into few, some, or many ADHD signs. Many signs does not mean your child has ADHD; it means a fuller evaluation could give you a clear answer. A diagnosis also requires that difficulties show up in more than one setting, like home and school, and that they affect daily life, which only a professional can assess.
Can this test diagnose my child?
No. Only a qualified professional, such as a pediatrician, child psychologist, or psychiatrist, can diagnose ADHD, using rating scales from more than one setting, a developmental history, and information about how difficulties affect daily functioning. This screening organizes what you are noticing so you can bring it to that conversation.
Is ADHD something to be ashamed of?
Not at all. ADHD is a well-understood difference in how attention, activity, and impulse control are regulated. Many children with ADHD are creative, energetic, curious, and capable. Understanding it early lets families and schools offer support that helps a child thrive rather than struggle.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are never sent to a server, never stored, and never linked to you or your child. No account is needed, and the optional PDF is generated on your own device.