Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Teacher and Parent Rating Scale (SNAP-IV), Core 26 items
The SNAP-IV core 26-item form covers the symptom items for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) inattention (items 1–9), ADHD hyperactivity and impulsivity (items 11–19), and oppositional defiant disorder (items 21–28) from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), completed by a parent or teacher on a 0–3 scale. This is screening information, not a diagnosis.
This is a clinical instrument. It is not publicly self-administered; a clinician assigns it through a secure patient link.
You learn how a child's attention, activity and defiance compare with typical levels.
For parents and teachers who want to rate a child's attention, activity and defiance.
It comes from child mental health research on rating attention-deficit and oppositional symptoms.
What this test is
Welcome. The SNAP-IV core 26-item form covers the symptom items for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) inattention (items 1–9), ADHD hyperactivity and impulsivity (items 11–19), and oppositional defiant disorder (items 21–28) from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), completed by a parent or teacher on a 0–3 scale. This is screening information, not a diagnosis.
The measure
It has 26 items, each answered on a 4-point (Not At All … Very Much) scale. Its scores cover ADHD-Inattention, ADHD-Hyperactivity/Impulsivity and Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
Swanson, J. M. The SNAP-IV Teacher and Parent Rating Scale. James M. Swanson, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, CA 92715. A revision of the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham (SNAP) Questionnaire (Swanson et al., 1983); items drawn from the DSM-IV (1994) criteria for ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, the Conners Index (Conners, 1968), and the IOWA Conners (Loney & Milich, 1985).
At a glance
What it measures
A parent or teacher rates a child on twenty-six behaviors in three groups. Nine describe inattention, such as making careless mistakes, having trouble sustaining attention and being easily distracted. Nine describe hyperactivity and impulsivity, such as fidgeting, running about when it is inappropriate and interrupting others. Eight describe oppositional behavior, such as losing one's temper, arguing with adults, refusing requests and being spiteful. Each is rated from not at all to very much.
The SNAP scale, named for its authors Swanson, Nolan and Pelham, follows the symptom criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Ratings are averaged within each of the three groups. Higher averages describe more frequent and pronounced behavior as seen by the rater; lower averages describe few concerns. Comparing the three averages shows whether difficulties are mainly inattentive, mainly hyperactive-impulsive, mainly oppositional, or combined. The scale is a rating to support assessment, not a diagnosis.
The core form is used in school and pediatric settings and in treatment research, often repeated to monitor change. On this site, the SNAP-IV long form adds items on related problems, the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1) is for adults, and the ADHD trait scale describes related tendencies in personality terms.
Nomological network
The core form of the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham rating scale, version four, lists the symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, and oppositional behavior for parents and teachers to rate (Swanson, 1992). Its inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity ratings converge with clinical diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in schools (Bussing et al., 2008).
The oppositional items form a separate factor from the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder items, and parent and teacher ratings agree only moderately, reflecting differences between home and school (Bussing et al., 2008).
Subscales
ADHD-Inattention 9 items
ADHD-Hyperactivity/Impulsivity 9 items
Oppositional Defiant Disorder 8 items
Example item
“Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork or tasks”
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 within each scale (reverse-keyed items recoded first) and expressed as a percent of the maximum possible score. No normative percentile is applied — there is no verbatim-matched published norm for this exact item set.
References
- Swanson, J. M. The SNAP-IV Teacher and Parent Rating Scale. James M. Swanson, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, CA 92715. A revision of the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham (SNAP) Questionnaire (Swanson et al., 1983); items drawn from the DSM-IV (1994) criteria for ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, the Conners Index (Conners, 1968), and the IOWA Conners (Loney & Milich, 1985).
- Swanson, J. M. (1992). School-based assessments and interventions for ADD students. K.C. Publishing.
- Bussing, R., Fernandez, M., Harwood, M., Hou, W., Garvan, C. W., Eyberg, S. M., & Swanson, J. M. (2008). Parent and teacher SNAP-IV ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: Psychometric properties and normative ratings from a school district sample. Assessment, 15(3), 317–328.
Sample report preview
The report opens with a profile of your scores on each of the 3 scales (ADHD-Inattention, ADHD-Hyperactivity/Impulsivity, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder), drawn on a common scale so the highest and lowest areas stand out. Each one then receives a short plain-language explanation of what a higher or lower standing describes. It closes with guidance on reading the results and on the limits of self-report.
| Section | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Subscale scores | Your score on each of the 3 subscales. |
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