Vanderbilt Assessment (ADHD) Test
A confidential parent-report screening built on the NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale, the instrument pediatricians actually use. You answer about your child, get separate inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity subscores scored the Vanderbilt way, and an instant plain-language result with an optional in-depth report to bring to a clinician. This is a screening, not a diagnosis.
Vanderbilt Assessment (ADHD) Test is a free, confidential 18-question self-assessment, based on the NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale. It takes about 4 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.
The Vanderbilt scale, reproduced faithfully for parents
The NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale is one of the most widely used parent rating tools for childhood ADHD. It keeps two symptom domains separate and applies a specific counting rule, because a child can run high on one domain and low on the other. This screening reproduces that structure so the result reflects your child.
Inattention symptoms
The nine inattention items from the Vanderbilt parent scale: careless mistakes, trouble sustaining attention, not seeming to listen, unfinished tasks, disorganization, avoiding effortful work, losing things, distractibility, and forgetfulness.
Hyperactivity and impulsivity
The nine hyperactive and impulsive items: fidgeting, leaving the seat, restlessness, trouble playing quietly, being on the go, talking too much, blurting answers, trouble waiting, and interrupting others.
The Vanderbilt scoring rule
Each item is rated Never, Occasionally, Often, or Very Often, and only Often or Very Often counts as a symptom present. The Vanderbilt convention flags a domain when six or more of its nine items are rated Often or Very Often, together with evidence of real difficulty at school or home.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Reproduces the NICHQ Vanderbilt items | Rarely | Yes, faithful wording |
| Vanderbilt frequency scale (Never to Very Often) | Sometimes | Yes, 0 to 3 scoring |
| Six-or-more counting rule explained | No | Yes, clearly |
| Separate inattention vs hyperactivity subscores | No | Yes, both shown |
| Impairment and two-setting reminder | No | Yes |
| Optional in-depth personalized report | No | Yes, written to your exact scores |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–54 in total. Your result falls into one of 3 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–11 | Few ADHD symptoms reported | Based on your answers, few of the Vanderbilt behaviors are happening often for your child. That is useful context, though it does not settle the question on its own. |
| 12–27 | Some ADHD symptoms reported | Based on your answers, a moderate number of Vanderbilt behaviors are happening often. This is a reasonable point to start a conversation with a professional. |
| 28–54 | Many ADHD symptoms (consider an evaluation) | Based on your answers, many Vanderbilt behaviors are happening often across one or both domains. Consider arranging a full evaluation. |
Methodology & sources
The 18 core questions reproduce the symptom items from the NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale, Parent Informant (Wolraich et al., 2003), a public-domain instrument built around the DSM criteria for ADHD. They are worded to stay faithful to the validated scale while being readable for parents, and are framed in the first person (My child) because a parent or caregiver completes the scale about their child. The instrument splits into nine inattention items and nine hyperactivity and impulsivity items, each rated on the Vanderbilt frequency scale: Never (0), Occasionally (1), Often (2), or Very Often (3).
Following the Vanderbilt scoring convention, only items rated Often (2) or Very Often (3) are counted as a symptom present, because most children show many of these behaviors occasionally and what matters clinically is how frequent and consistent they are. The Vanderbilt flags a domain when six or more of its nine items reach that level, and the full instrument also asks about performance at school and home, because a diagnosis requires evidence of real impairment in more than one setting. We present the point totals as a guide and the two subscores separately, and your result also computes each domain's Often-or-Very-Often count directly, so you can see the six-of-nine pattern a clinician would look for without counting by hand. 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 typically gathers Vanderbilt ratings from a teacher as well. For a broader parent screener that blends the Vanderbilt with the SNAP-IV, see our companion Child ADHD Test (Parent Report).
References
- 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.
- American Academy of Pediatrics, National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ). NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scales. Public-domain ADHD assessment instrument.
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, August 28). Vanderbilt Assessment (ADHD) Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Assessment (ADHD) Test FAQ
What is the Vanderbilt Assessment Scale?
It is a widely used parent and teacher rating scale for childhood ADHD, developed for the NICHQ and the American Academy of Pediatrics and based on the DSM symptom criteria. A parent rates how often their child shows nine inattention behaviors and nine hyperactive or impulsive behaviors. This screening reproduces the parent symptom items. It is a screening, not a diagnosis.
How is the Vanderbilt scored?
Each item is rated Never, Occasionally, Often, or Very Often. Only Often or Very Often counts as a symptom present, because occasional fidgeting or forgetfulness is ordinary for children. The Vanderbilt flags a domain when six or more of its nine items reach that level, and it also asks about difficulty at school and home. This screening shows both domain subscores and computes each domain's Often-or-Very-Often count from your answers, so the six-of-nine rule is applied for you; the banded total is an orientation guide alongside it.
Why are only Often and Very Often counted?
Almost every child loses things, gets distracted, or squirms 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. Counting this way keeps the result honest and meaningful.
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 life. This screening organizes what you are noticing so you can bring it to that conversation. A teacher usually completes a Vanderbilt too.
How is this different from your Child ADHD Test?
This page reproduces the NICHQ Vanderbilt parent items and explains the Vanderbilt counting rule specifically. Our companion Child ADHD Test (Parent Report) is a broader parent screener that blends the Vanderbilt with the SNAP-IV. Both give the same two subscores, so you can use whichever fits and compare the results.
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.
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