ADHD Traits Test

An 18-question screener for adult ADHD traits, covering inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

18 questions5 minFree to answer

Before you start

Answer based on how you usually are, not how you would like to be. There are no right or wrong answers.

This questionnaire is for self-reflection. It is not a diagnosis.

What it measures

Inattention
Hyperactivity and impulsivity

About this test

Adult ADHD usually shows up as difficulty sustaining attention and staying organized, as restlessness and impulsivity, or both. This test asks how often you experience each of 18 common patterns over the past six months.

What the research says

Studies from Harvard Medical School, the World Health Organization and the University of Southampton found that brief ADHD questionnaires flag many more adults than actually have ADHD, while low scores make ADHD less likely. If you score high, a clinician will check whether these patterns started in childhood, whether they cause problems in at least two areas of your life, and whether something else, such as depression, explains them.

Research behind this test

Harvard Medical School · World Health Organization
Developed the WHO adult ADHD screener, which asks how often inattention and hyperactivity symptoms happen. Our ADHD test uses the same never-to-very-often scale.
Kessler, R. C., Adler, L., Ames, M., et al. (2005). The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS). Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 245–256.
Harvard Medical School · World Health Organization
Updated the WHO screener for DSM-5 and found that about one in three positive screens did not meet diagnostic criteria.
Ustun, B., Adler, L. A., Rudin, C., et al. (2017). The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Screening Scale for DSM-5. JAMA Psychiatry, 74(5), 520–526.
University of Southampton · University of Cambridge · University of Chicago
Showed that brief ADHD screeners flag far more adults than actually have ADHD. Our high-score results say so and point you to a full assessment.
Chamberlain, S. R., Cortese, S., & Grant, J. E. (2021). Screening for adult ADHD using brief rating tools: What can we conclude from a positive screen? Some caveats. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 106, 152224.

These researchers and institutions are not affiliated with SelfAssessment.io and do not endorse it.

Questions about this test

Can an online test diagnose ADHD?

No. ADHD is diagnosed by a clinician who reviews your symptoms, your childhood history and how much the symptoms affect your life. This test helps you see whether that conversation is worth having.

What time period should I think about?

Answer based on how you have usually been over the past six months.

How is it scored?

Each answer scores from 0 (Never) to 4 (Very often), for a total out of 72. Scores of 45 or more indicate many ADHD traits, and 29 to 44 indicate some.