Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Test: Take the Validated Six-Item WHO Screener
The ASRS test screens for adult ADHD symptoms using an adaptation of the WHO self-report scale. Get an instant Part A screening result, Part B symptom context, and an optional report to discuss with a clinician.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Test is a free, confidential 18-question self-assessment, based on the WHO ASRS v1.1. It takes about 8 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 3 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
What the ASRS v1.1 screener actually checks
The ASRS is built around a short, validated screener. Part A holds the six questions the World Health Organization found most predictive of adult ADHD, and its shaded-box rule is what decides a positive screen. Part B adds twelve questions for a fuller symptom picture.
The validated Part A screener
Part A is the six ASRS questions the WHO team found most predictive of adult ADHD. It is the part validated as a standalone screen, which is why your result centers on it rather than on a long symptom tally.
What the shaded box means
Each Part A answer either lands in a shaded, higher-frequency box or it does not: Sometimes or more often on the first three questions, Often or more often on the last three. Four or more shaded answers is a positive screen, highly consistent with adult ADHD and worth a clinical follow-up.
Part B for the fuller picture
The remaining twelve ASRS items span inattention, like losing focus and misplacing things, and hyperactivity-impulsivity, like restlessness and interrupting. They add context for a clinician rather than a separate pass or fail.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Targets the ASRS v1.1 by name | Rarely | Yes, the WHO instrument |
| Validated Part A shaded-box scoring | No | Yes, the 4-of-6 rule explained |
| Both Part A and Part B | Usually Part A only | Yes, all 18 items |
| Explains what a positive screen means | Vague | Yes, step by step |
| Clinician-reviewed interpretation | Rarely | Yes, clinician reviewed |
| Optional in-depth personalized report | No | Yes, written to your exact answers |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–24 in total. Your result falls into one of 3 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–8 | Below the screening threshold | Your Part A answers are below the level where a positive ASRS screen is even possible. On this validated screener, that is reassuring. |
| 9–15 | Around the screening threshold | Your Part A answers sit close to the threshold. Whether your screen is positive depends on the exact shaded-box pattern, so it is worth checking directly. |
| 16–24 | At or above the typical screening range | Your Part A answers are high, the range that commonly reflects a positive ASRS screen. Confirm it with the shaded-box count, and consider a professional evaluation. |
Who takes the ASRS screener
The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Test screens for patterns of inattention, restlessness, and impulsivity that may warrant assessment. Adults come to the ASRS for different reasons. Some never had an evaluation as a child and want to understand years of feeling scattered. Some are re-evaluating themselves after a child's ADHD diagnosis. Some have simply watched focus and organization get harder to manage as work and family responsibilities piled up. Women often reach this screener later than men, frequently after decades of coping strategies that looked like being disorganized or forgetful rather than ADHD; the ADHD Test for Women looks at how those symptoms tend to present.
If the inattention and hyperactivity questions on this page also bring autism traits to mind, that overlap is common and worth exploring on its own terms. The AuDHD Test and the Autism Masking Test (CAT-Q) cover that ground directly. None of these tools sort people into categories. They point toward the parts of your experience worth bringing to a clinician.
Conditions that can look like adult ADHD
Inattention and restlessness are not unique to ADHD. Chronic stress, poor sleep, and untreated anxiety can all produce similar struggles with focus, follow-through, and sitting still, which is part of why the ASRS is a screener rather than a diagnostic tool. The Sleep Quality Test can help you check whether poor sleep is doing some of that work on its own.
If your Part A and Part B answers point toward a positive screen, a licensed clinician can sort out what is ADHD, what is overlapping with something else, and what would help. The Psychology.com therapist directory lists clinicians who work with adult ADHD, and simple daily supports such as a habit tracker or a time management routine can help while you wait for an appointment.
Before an appointment, write down situations where attention difficulties affect work, home responsibilities, or relationships. Include when you first noticed them, what helps, and whether sleep or mood changes seem connected. Childhood records or observations from someone who knows you well can add useful context. You can seek an assessment even when your screening result is below the threshold if daily difficulties continue.
For practical planning, try Time Management to put a task and its next action on paper. The Psychology.com tests hub offers other self-assessments if you want to explore a specific concern raised by your result. Taking additional tests cannot confirm or rule out ADHD.
Why can the ASRS total and shaded-box result differ?
The shaded-box result depends on which answers you select, not just how high the summed score is. An answer can contribute points to the displayed total without reaching that question's screening threshold. That is why the result labeled shaded-box count is the relevant screening signal, while the total is a descriptive summary of response frequency.
Part B adds information about symptoms that may deserve discussion even when Part A is below threshold. Its role is to help describe your experience to a clinician. Avoid combining Part A and Part B into a homemade diagnostic cutoff or treating the shaded count as a measure of how severe ADHD would be. The published ASRS instructions distinguish screening from a fuller review of symptoms, history, and impairment.
Methodology & sources
This test is adapted from the World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1), developed by Kessler and colleagues in 2005. Its heart is Part A, the six questions found to be the most predictive of adult ADHD and validated as a standalone screener. The ASRS scores Part A with a shaded-box rule: on the first three questions an answer of Sometimes or more often falls in the shaded box, and on the last three questions an answer of Often or more often does. Four or more shaded answers across the six is a positive screen, meaning symptoms highly consistent with adult ADHD that warrant a clinical follow-up. Part B adds the remaining twelve ASRS items to fill out the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive picture; it gives a clinician context rather than a second screen. Item wording has been lightly adapted for readability while preserving the meaning of the validated instrument. This page is about the ASRS instrument specifically. For a broader overview of adult ADHD, our companion adult ADHD test at Psychology.com/tests/adhd covers the same 18 items with more general context.
Because this screening runs entirely in your browser, we present Part A as your primary result and band your Part A total from 0 to 24 so you can see where your answers sit. That band is an orientation aid. The definitive, validated result is the shaded-box count itself, which we compute from your answers and show at the top of your result, alongside the four-of-six rule so you can verify it yourself. This test is for education and self-reflection. It is not a diagnosis. Only a qualified clinician can diagnose ADHD, usually through a structured interview, your developmental history, and a look at how symptoms affect daily life.
The original validation evidence applies to the published ASRS and the population studied, not automatically to every online adaptation. This page keeps the Part A threshold pattern but uses adapted wording and an additional display of summed points. Neither those display bands nor an individual positive result supplies a diagnostic probability. Use the result to organize a clinical conversation, especially when your answers and everyday difficulties seem to tell different stories.
References
- Kessler RC, Adler L, Ames M, et al. The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): a short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychol Med. 2005;35(2):245-256. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15841682/
- Adler LA, Spencer T, Faraone SV, et al. Validity of pilot Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) to rate adult ADHD symptoms. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2006;18(3):145-148.
- National Institute of Mental Health. ADHD in Adults: 4 Things to Know. nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/adhd-what-you-need-to-know
- World Health Organization. Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) Symptom Checklist and scoring instructions. Harvard Medical School. hcp.med.harvard.edu/ncs/ftpdir/adhd/adhd/Old%20Versions/18%20Question%20ADHD-ASRS-v1-1.pdf
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/asrs
Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Test FAQ
What is the ASRS test?
The ASRS v1.1 is the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, an 18-question instrument developed with the World Health Organization to identify adults who may have ADHD. Its validated core is Part A, a six-question screener. Part B adds twelve questions for a fuller symptom picture. This test includes all 18. It indicates likelihood, not a diagnosis.
How does the shaded-box scoring work?
Part A is scored by counting answers that fall in a shaded, higher-frequency box. On the first three questions, an answer of Sometimes, Often, or Very often is shaded. On the last three questions, only Often or Very often is shaded. If four or more of your six answers are shaded, that is a positive screen, meaning your symptoms are highly consistent with adult ADHD and a fuller evaluation is worthwhile.
What does a positive screen mean?
A positive screen means four or more of your six Part A answers landed in the shaded range. It does not confirm ADHD on its own; it means an assessment is worth pursuing. Your Part B answers and your life history add context that a clinician uses alongside the screen. Sleep, mood, stress, and other health concerns can influence similar symptoms, so the next step is a broader evaluation rather than drawing a conclusion from the questionnaire alone.
How is this different from a general ADHD test?
This page is framed tightly around the ASRS instrument itself: the WHO screener, its Part A shaded-box rule, and what a positive screen means. If you want a broader overview of adult ADHD rather than the instrument, our companion adult ADHD test at Psychology.com/tests/adhd covers the same 18 items with more general context.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. It is for education and self-reflection only. Only a qualified clinician can diagnose ADHD, usually through a detailed interview, your developmental history, and a look at how symptoms affect your daily life. A positive screen is a reason to seek that assessment.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your individual answers are scored in your browser and are never sent to us or linked to you. They stay in this tab so you can return to your result, and closing or clearing the tab clears them. If you ask us to email the PDF, we receive your summary scores with your email address, never your individual answers. No account is needed.
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