Comprehensive ADHD Test for Adults
Full 18-question ASRS screening covering inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity
This comprehensive ADHD self-assessment uses all 18 questions from the WHO Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1), providing a more detailed picture of your symptoms than the brief 6-question screener. Part A identifies whether your symptoms are consistent with ADHD, while Part B gives additional insight into how ADHD may be affecting your daily life.
Takes approximately 5 minutes. Completely free, confidential, and your answers are not stored.
Important Disclaimer
This is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. Only a qualified healthcare professional can diagnose ADHD. This tool is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice.
How often do you have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project, once the challenging parts have been done?
What Does the Full ASRS Test Measure?
Understanding the two symptom domains of ADHD
Inattention Symptoms
Questions 1-4 and 7-11 assess inattentive ADHD symptoms, including:
- Difficulty finishing tasks and following through
- Problems with organisation and planning
- Forgetfulness and losing things
- Being easily distracted
- Difficulty sustaining attention on boring tasks
- Not listening when spoken to directly
Hyperactivity-Impulsivity Symptoms
Questions 5-6 and 12-18 assess hyperactive and impulsive ADHD symptoms, including:
- Fidgeting and restlessness
- Feeling driven by a motor
- Difficulty sitting still in meetings
- Talking too much in social situations
- Finishing other people's sentences
- Difficulty waiting your turn
Understanding which domain your symptoms fall into can be helpful when discussing your experiences with a GP or specialist. Learn more about the three types of ADHD and how they present differently in adults.
Important Information
Please read the following before interpreting your results
This screening tool is based on the full ASRS-v1.1 (Parts A and B) and is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a diagnostic instrument.
A positive result on this screener does not mean you have ADHD. Only a qualified healthcare professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or specialist nurse, can diagnose ADHD following a comprehensive clinical assessment.
A negative result does not rule out ADHD. If you are experiencing significant difficulties with attention, organisation, or impulsivity, we encourage you to speak with your GP regardless of your score.
This tool is designed for adults aged 18 and over. It has not been validated for use in children or adolescents.
Your responses are processed entirely in your browser and are not stored, transmitted, or shared with anyone. We do not collect any personal data through this tool.
ADHD Mentor provides practical mentoring support and is not a clinical or medical service. Caitlin Hollywood is not a doctor, psychologist, or licensed therapist. Mentoring is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment.
Next Steps After Your ADHD Screening
How to use your results and where to go from here
1. Note your scores
Write down your Part A score, Part B score, and total score. These are useful to share with your GP when requesting a referral.
2. Speak with your GP
Share your screening results and explain how these symptoms affect your daily life. Read our guide on getting an ADHD diagnosis in the UK to prepare for the conversation.
3. Consider your Right to Choose
NHS waiting lists for ADHD assessment can be 12 months or longer. Your Right to Choose allows you to be assessed by an NHS-funded private provider, often much sooner.
4. Get support while you wait
You don't need a diagnosis to start building strategies. ADHD mentoring can help you develop practical approaches to managing executive function challenges, time blindness, and organisation right now.
5. Take the childhood ADHD test
Since ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that starts in childhood, clinicians will ask about your childhood experiences. Our WURS-25 childhood ADHD screening can help you reflect on this before your assessment.
About the ASRS v1.1
The science behind this comprehensive ADHD screening tool
The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1) was developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in collaboration with researchers at Harvard Medical School and New York University. It is part of the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and is one of the most widely studied ADHD screening tools in the world.
The full ASRS consists of 18 questions covering the DSM diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD across two domains: inattention (9 items) and hyperactivity-impulsivity (9 items). Part A (6 questions) is the validated screener, while Part B (12 questions) provides additional clinical detail.
Research has demonstrated that the ASRS Part A screener has a sensitivity of 91.4% and specificity of 96.0% in clinical settings, making it one of the most accurate brief screening instruments available. The full 18-question version provides complementary information that can help clinicians understand the breadth and severity of symptoms.
References
- Kessler, R. C., Adler, L., Ames, M., Demler, O., Faraone, S., Hiripi, E., ... & Walters, E. E. (2005). The World Health Organisation Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): a short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 245–256.
- Adler, L. A., Spencer, T., Faraone, S. V., Kessler, R. C., Howes, M. J., Biederman, J., & Secnik, K. (2006). Validity of pilot Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) to rate adult ADHD symptoms. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 18(3), 145–148.
- Ustun, B., Adler, L. A., Rudin, C., Faraone, S. V., Spencer, T. J., Berglund, P., ... & Kessler, R. C. (2017). The World Health Organisation Adult Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Screening Scale for DSM-5. JAMA Psychiatry, 74(5), 520–527.
The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) Symptom Checklist was developed in conjunction with the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the Workgroup on Adult ADHD including Lenard Adler, MD, Ronald C. Kessler, PhD, and Thomas Spencer, MD. The questions in this tool are reproduced for educational and screening purposes. © World Health Organisation. All rights reserved.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the comprehensive 18-question ADHD test
What is the difference between the 6-question and 18-question ADHD test?
The 6-question ASRS Part A is a brief screener designed to quickly identify whether further evaluation is warranted. The full 18-question version includes Part A plus Part B, which provides a more detailed picture of how ADHD symptoms affect different areas of your life, covering both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity domains in greater depth.
How is the comprehensive ADHD test scored?
Each of the 18 questions is scored against a clinically determined threshold. If your response meets or exceeds the threshold for that question, it scores 1 point. Part A (questions 1-6) has a maximum score of 6, and Part B (questions 7-18) has a maximum of 12. A Part A score of 4 or more is the primary indicator that your symptoms are consistent with ADHD.
Is this comprehensive ADHD test more accurate than the short version?
The 6-question Part A screener is the validated screening tool with strong sensitivity (91.4%) and specificity (96.0%). Part B does not change the screening outcome but provides additional clinical context that can be useful when discussing your results with a healthcare professional. Both parts together give a more complete picture of your symptoms.
How long does the full 18-question ADHD test take?
The comprehensive ADHD test takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. Each question asks about a specific ADHD-related behaviour, and you select how often you experience it on a scale from Never to Very Often.
Can this test diagnose ADHD?
No. This is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. Only a qualified healthcare professional such as a psychiatrist, specialist nurse, or clinical psychologist can diagnose ADHD following a comprehensive clinical assessment. This test can help you decide whether to seek a professional evaluation.
What does the ASRS measure?
The ASRS v1.1 measures the frequency of 18 behaviours associated with adult ADHD, mapped to the DSM diagnostic criteria. It covers two main domains: inattention (difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, disorganisation) and hyperactivity-impulsivity (restlessness, fidgeting, interrupting, impulsive behaviour).
Should I take the short or comprehensive ADHD test?
If you want a quick initial indication, start with our 6-question ADHD test. If you want a more thorough self-assessment to discuss with your GP or specialist, the comprehensive 18-question version provides more detail across both symptom domains. Many people take both.
What should I do with my results?
Print or note your scores and share them with your GP when requesting an ADHD referral. Your Part A and Part B scores, along with specific symptoms flagged, can help your GP understand your concerns. You can also use your Right to Choose to access providers like Psychiatry-UK for faster assessment.
Explore More ADHD Resources
Tests, guides, and practical support
Quick ADHD Test (6 Questions)
Take the brief ASRS Part A screener for a faster initial indication.
Childhood ADHD Test (WURS-25)
Assess childhood ADHD symptoms retrospectively to support your assessment.
Book a Mentoring Session
Practical, one-to-one support for managing ADHD. No diagnosis required.
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