The WHO-validated adult ADHD self-report scale — used in clinical practice worldwide
Think about the past 6 months when answering
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The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1) was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with Ronald Kessler and colleagues, published in 2005. It is the most widely validated and used screening tool for adult ADHD in clinical practice. The scale measures 18 symptoms corresponding to the DSM criteria for ADHD across two dimensions — inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity — and asks about symptom frequency over the past 6 months. The first 6 items (Part A) have the highest discriminative power and are used as a clinical screening threshold.
ADHD affects approximately 5% of adults globally, yet the majority go undiagnosed. The primary reasons: the condition was historically conceptualised as a childhood disorder affecting hyperactive boys; inattentive presentation is far less visible and is frequently attributed to personality traits like laziness or disorganisation; high-intelligence individuals often develop compensatory strategies that mask symptoms until demands exceed their capacity; and women are systematically underdiagnosed because their presentations typically trend more inattentive and less hyperactive. The average age of adult ADHD diagnosis is in the late 30s to early 40s — decades after symptoms began.
Yukti Bodh · yuktilabs.in · Psychology · Self-Knowledge · Inner Science · This tool is for screening purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.