The Adult ADHD Test (ASRS) — how it works and how to read your score

Adult ADHD was invisible for decades: children got diagnosed, while adults were told they were "lazy", "scattered" or "should try harder". We now know that for most people the symptoms do not disappear with age — they change shape. Hyperactivity fades, but the problems with attention, organisation and finishing what you started remain.

What the ASRS is

The ASRS (Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale) was commissioned by the World Health Organization and developed by Ronald Kessler's team at Harvard (2005). From the 18 questions of the full version, six were selected that best separated adults with ADHD from everyone else — that is Part A, now the most widely used ADHD screener in the world.

The six questions cover: wrapping up details once the hard part is done, getting organised for demanding tasks, remembering obligations, postponing tasks that require thought, fidgeting through long sitting, and feeling "driven by a motor".

Where the 14-point cutoff comes from

In the summed version each answer scores 0–4 (never → very often), giving a 0–24 range. Kessler's validation work (2007) showed that a total of ≥14 best balances screening sensitivity and specificity. A score above the cutoff is not a diagnosis — it means your answers resemble those of people whose full clinical assessment often confirms ADHD.

What to do with an above-cutoff score

1. Do not panic and do not self-diagnose. Depression, anxiety, insomnia, thyroid problems and chronic stress can produce similar symptoms.
2. Write down concrete examples from work, home and relationships — a clinician will ask about them, along with your childhood history.
3. Book a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. Diagnosing adult ADHD requires a clinical interview; a screener only signals that one is worth considering.

Why take the test anyway

Because untreated adult ADHD has real costs: more frequent job changes, financial trouble, strained relationships and an elevated risk of depression. Six questions and two minutes is a low price for finding out whether the chaos you have been fighting for years has a name — and effective treatments.