Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1) — Symptom Checklist
The full 18-item WHO Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1). For each item, indicate how often it has happened over the past 6 months. The six Part A items are the validated screener: responses falling in the significant-frequency (shaded) range are counted, and four or more constitute a positive screen for adult ADHD. The twelve Part B items are additional symptom items presented as non-diagnostic clinical context only — they are administered and recorded but carry no cutoff and do not change the screen result. Intended for administration under clinician oversight.
This is a clinical instrument. It is not publicly self-administered — a clinician assigns it through a secure patient link.
At a glance
What it measures
The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale v1.1 Symptom Checklist (Kessler et al., 2005) is the World Health Organization's 18-item self-report of adult ADHD symptoms over the past six months. Its six Part A items are the validated screener: each response either falls in the significant-frequency range or does not, and per Kessler et al. (2005) four or more significant Part A items constitute a positive screen.
The twelve Part B items provide additional clinical context but are not scored and carry no cutoff. The checklist is reproduced unaltered under the WHO's permissions, and a positive screen is an indication for professional evaluation, not a diagnosis.
Psychometric properties
The notes below are reproduced from the platform's psychometrics register for this instrument — the same source-cited reliability, validity, and norms text that accompanies its downloadable report.
The 6-item Part A screener shows good internal consistency and test-retest reliability in WHO field trials (Kessler et al., 2005, 2007).
The dichotomous Part A screen outperformed the full 18-item scale, with sensitivity about 68.7%, specificity about 99.5%, and total classification accuracy of 97.9% against clinician diagnosis (Kessler et al., 2005).
Calibrated against the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication; four or more marked items constitute a positive screen for adult ADHD.
Subscales
ADHD symptom frequency (Part A) 6 items
Additional ADHD symptoms (Part B) — context only, not scored 12 items
Example item
“How often do you have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project, once the challenging parts have been done?”
Illustrative only. During administration items are presented one screen-set at a time; response-key direction is never shown to respondents.
Scoring & interpretation
Item responses are summed to a total score and compared against published screening cutoffs.
| Band | Threshold | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Negative screen | ≥ 0 | Fewer than four Part A items fell in the significant-frequency range; symptoms consistent with ADHD are not indicated by this screen. |
| Positive screen | ≥ 4 | Four or more of the six Part A items fell in the significant-frequency range, which is highly consistent with adult ADHD and warrants further clinical evaluation. |
Source & citation
Kessler, R. C., Adler, L., Ames, M., Demler, O., Faraone, S., Hiripi, E., ... & Walters, E. E. (2005). The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): a short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 245–256.
Scoring. A positive screen is four or more Part A items in the significant-frequency range (Kessler et al., 2005). The twelve Part B items are not scored and have no cutoff.
Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) © World Health Organization, in collaboration with New York University and Harvard Medical School. Reproduced unaltered and provided free of charge for clinical and research use.
References
- Kessler, R. C., Adler, L., Ames, M., et al. (2005). The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): a short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 245-256.
- Kessler, R. C., Adler, L. A., Gruber, M. J., et al. (2007). Validity of the WHO Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Screener in a representative sample of health plan members. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 16(2), 52-65.