Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale

What is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a type of developmental disorder. Those with it tend to have difficulty focusing on something for too long, which happens frequently. They can also become hyperactive and impulsive. It's possible for this developmental disorder to negatively impact a person's daily life and overall mental well-being because of the following:

• They have frequent mood swings.
• They become easily frustrated, and their tempers run hot.
• They become restless and jump from one activity to another.
• They have trouble completing a task or activity, especially boring or repetitive work.
• They have difficulty concentrating.
• They have a hard time prioritizing something.
• They tend to be disorganized.
• They aren't able to plan as well as they'd like (or others would like).
• They get easily stressed and have trouble coping.
• They tend to interrupt others.
• They tend to talk excessively.
• They need to be on the move.
• They have difficulty waiting.

These days, some people are diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder during their childhood, so once they hit the adult phase of their life, it's common for them to manage ADHD symptoms and live normally without the disorder disrupting their lives.

However, many people only get a formal diagnosis when they are adults. That's because they were likely unaware of their symptoms, or rather, the symptoms weren't noticeable back then but only began to be noticeable when they were older (like the degree of hyperactivity, impulsivity, etc., being higher than when they were younger).

If you're a medical professional handling a patient who suspects themselves of having ADHD or is suspected by someone close to them, then issue the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) to assess them.

How to use the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale

The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale is an eighteen-item, self-reported ADHD diagnostic assessment and screening instrument. It's divided into two parts: Part A has six items, while Part B has twelve. The former is considered to be the most important because it is the most predictive of an ADHD diagnosis.

Part A has the following questions:

1. How often do you have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project once the challenging parts have been done?
2. How often do you have difficulty getting things in order when you have to do a task that requires organization?
3. How often do you have problems remembering appointments or obligations?
4. When you have a task requiring much thought, how often do you avoid or delay getting started?
5. How often do you fidget or squirm with your hands or feet when sitting down for a long time?
6. How often do you feel overly active and compelled to do things, like you were driven by a motor?

Part B has questions like:

• How often do you make careless mistakes when working on a boring or difficult project?
• How often are you distracted by activity or noise around you?
• How often do you feel restless or fidgety? 
• How often do you interrupt others when they are busy? 

All these questions can be answered with the following options:

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Very often

These choices can be selected using checkboxes. Some checkboxes have a darker shade than others. The darker shade represents the possibility that the adult patient answering the questionnaire has ADHD, so if they check four or more shaded boxes in Part A, that indicates that they are likely to have ADHD.

However, this scale doesn't confirm things and should not be the sole assessment for diagnosing ADHD. After receiving a fully accomplished scale, have them expand on their answers, conduct other ADHD screening tests, and then cross-check all the symptoms based on the diagnostic criteria for ADHD in the most updated version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association. These can help characterize symptom burden and make accurate ADHD diagnoses.

Since this is a self-report scale, this should not be the sole basis for an ADHD diagnosis. More tests can be administered by healthcare professionals for a more comprehensive psychological assessment.

Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale example (sample)

Now that you know the basic gist of what Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is, as well as what the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale is, it's time to see what it looks like! We just used the scale created by the World Health Organization in collaboration with Lenard Adler, Ronald C. Kessler, and Thomas Spencer.

If you like what you see and believe this will help you screen patients who happen to be adults presenting symptoms of ADHD, then by all means, download a free Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale PDF  from our platform.

Download this Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale example (sample):

When is it best to use the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale?

The best time to use the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale will depend on the person using it. If your patients or clients discuss things about themselves that indicate Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, then educate them about the disorder and ask if they would like to be assessed. If they agree to be assessed, you may introduce the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale.

You can have them answer the questionnaire on the spot, take the test home, and submit it during the next appointment. It's best to ask them first because the patient has the right to decide if they want to undergo an ADHD clinical diagnosis process.

If you're not a healthcare professional and you've stumbled upon this guide, you can use the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale for yourself. You can answer it anytime you want. If you have four or more answers in the darker checkboxes in Part A, and if you have several others in Part B, please schedule a check-up with a professional so they can conduct a comprehensive examination that will determine appropriate treatment steps.

How can Carepatron help with mental health-related work?

Suppose you are a healthcare professional who handles patients with developmental disorders, especially Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Carepatron is a valuable practice management solution.

Carepatron's extensive library houses a collection of clinical resources spanning multiple healthcare fields. We have worksheets, assessments, survey templates, form templates, general treatment plans (if general treatment plans suit your patients), and much more that you can use to improve your work!

Storing your files with us is an excellent way to create backups of your files, especially filled-out copies of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale. If you lose your physical copies or access to a different cloud storage, or your work device stops working and can’t be fixed, you can feel at ease knowing your files are in your storage under us. We're sure all of these will convince you to consider us your number-one clinical documentation and mental health practice management software.

Not only will Carepatron provide you with resources to help you cover more ground with your therapeutic work, but we can also help preserve your work by securing them!