ADHD Tests For Adults and Adolescents

There is no single test that can determine whether a person is suffering from ADHD. To determine if someone has ADHD, healthcare providers must consider the way that symptoms affect everyday functioning, and rule out other physical and mental conditions that can cause similar issues.

The doctor will also ask you about your symptoms prior to the age of 12. According to current guidelines for diagnosing for being diagnosed, you have to be suffering from symptoms since childhood.

Conners Adults ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS)

In a clinical setting, rating scales are used to differentiate adult patients suffering from ADHD and those without symptoms. However, it's often difficult to achieve satisfactory distinction rates, particularly when patients with a variety of diagnoses show multiple symptoms in the emotional regulation or impulse control domains. For instance, anxiety disorders often co-occur with symptoms of impulsivity and disinhibition. In these cases, rating scales can lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

To address this issue, the original CAARS was revised in 1999 to include an observer form to provide an accurate assessment of symptom severity. Numerous studies have investigated the psychometric features of the new version. The measure's convergent validity as well as concurrent validity have been found to be excellent (Smyth and Meier Citation 2019). However, some criticisms have been raised regarding the measure's sensitivity to non-credible reporting, which is commonplace in ADHD rating scales.

The CAARS-S:O has been utilized in a wide range of clinical samples and across various diagnostic conditions. The psychometric properties of both the short self-report and observer forms were evaluated, including configural and metric invariance. These findings have given the instrument a high degree of confidence in its ability to detect ADHD symptoms in adults.

In a recent research study, the authors of the CAARS:O analyzed the structure of the instrument by using an exploratory and a confirmation factor analysis in a nonclinical adult sample. The results showed that the four-factor model matched the data and was in line with previous research (Conners, Erhardt, Epstein et al. Citation 1999). The scalar-invariance in the four-factor model was also proved. Finally, configural and scalar invariance were also established by sex, allowing the comparison of scores between males and females be attributed to actual variations in the underlying constructs.

Recently the authors of CAARS:S:O extended the findings to an adult nonclinical Japanese population. 786) participants completed the CAARS S:S and the CAARS-Observer form. The result was the same four-factor model that was previously validated in the North American population, with satisfactory metrics and adjustable invariance. This study extends the validation of the CAARS S:O to a different population and demonstrates its value for identifying ADHD symptoms in emerging adulthood.

Barkley Adults ADHD Rating Scales - IV (BAARS-IV)

The BAARS-IV examines the current ADHD symptoms and domains of impairment, as well as recollections of childhood symptoms. It is designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of a person's clinical functioning as well as their social, school and work-related domains. It is easy to administer and takes approximately 5 to 7 minutes to complete. The BAARS-IV contains both self-reporting items as well as other report items (e.g. spouse, partner or parent). This improves the accuracy of the assessment.

Compared to age-based norms, the BAARS-IV determines if symptoms are "Clinically Significant," suggesting that the person is more pronounced than people their age, and might require further investigation. A score of "Not Clinically Significant" means that the symptoms don't hinder functioning and is more representative of the typical range of people of the same age.

One-hundred and twenty-four adults aged 18-67 years took part in this study. They were either physician- or self-referred to a medical center's outpatient clinic for evaluation of ADHD. Each participant completed the BAARS-IV SCT subscales (self and other versions of reports) and ADHD symptoms severity measures. Collateral reporters were spouses/partners or parents or siblings. A total of 51 reports were taken.

Results confirm the validity of a three-factor model of SCT and show that the test can be reliably used to discern clinically significant differences between individuals who have an ADHD diagnosis. SCT symptom intensity is in a unique way related to collateral reporters' endorsements of impairments at home, school and community activities even after adjusting for ADHD symptoms' intensity.


These findings are part of a growing body of research that suggests SCT as an important and distinct concept that should be considered when patients are referred to a psychiatrist to be evaluated for psychiatric disorders. Additionally, SCT symptoms can be reliable and validly evaluated in the clinical setting using the BAARS-IV and are independently associated with functional impairment. Further research is needed to examine the effects of SCT on functioning in other life domains, such as parenting stress and offspring psychopathology. SCT is a key variable in understanding and treating ADHD in adulthood.

Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Adult Version (BRIEF-A)

The BRIEF-A is a standardized measure of executive function in adults. It includes 63 items from nine theoretically and empirically constructed and well-tested clinical scales that assess commonly agreed upon areas of executive functioning: Inhibit, Self-Monitor, Shift, Emotional Control, Initiate, Working Memory and Plan/Organize. It is available in both self-report and informant versions, with a parent/teacher form as well. The test takes around 10-15 minutes to administer, and another 15-20 minutes to be scored. On the reverse of the sheet that summarizes scoring you can calculate T-scores, or percentiles. The BRIEF can be used by adults and adolescents aged between 18 and 90. It is particularly helpful for people who are suffering from cognitive, behavioral, and academic problems that are not easily identified with other measures like severe developmental disorders/autism, or traumatic brain injury.

The instrument was intended for use by psychologists, neuropsychologists and physicians and rehabilitation professionals in both clinical and research settings. The instrument was standardized using a sample of women, men and children aged 18-90 whose data were matched with the 2002 US Census. The normative sample comprised a wide range of educational and racial/ethnic backgrounds, as well as geographic regions that are representative of the population of the United States. The Behavioral Regulation and Metacognition Indexes were standardized for self-report as well as informant reporting with three validity scales (Negativity Inconsistency, Inevitability and Infrequency) included to assess measurement integrity.

The BRIEF-A doesn't just provide standardization of individual scales but also includes the profile and base rates for the elevation of scales for various mental disorders, including ADHD, PTSD and depression as in schizophrenia spectrum disorders as well as traumatic brain injuries and schizophrenia. It also provides reliable change indexes that can be used to evaluate the severity of symptoms in time, like after the administration of medication.

The authors of BRIEF-A have published a number of papers on the application of this instrument to various mental illnesses, including those that affect executive functions. The instrument is also used to assess the effects of traumatic brain injury and dementia, as well as Tourette's Disorder and Parkinson's Disease. The studies concluded that the BRIEF-A was a valid and sensitive measure of daily executive functions among the populations. This is particularly applicable to the Inhibit and Emotional Control subscales.

Understood Assistant

Many adults suffering from ADHD are resistant to diagnosis and treatment due to the stigma that surrounds this condition. Whether you keep losing your keys, are unable to complete work tasks or have relationships that suffer because of the inability to focus and impulsivity, receiving an assessment is the first step to gaining control of your symptoms. There's no need to undergo blood tests or brain scanning. Instead an expert will conduct a one-onone conversation and utilize rating scales to evaluate how symptoms impact your daily life.

helpful site wants to know everything about your past, how you did in school, what your relationships with family and friends and what's happening at work, home, or school and so on. It is also important to discuss your medical history and provide details about your birth weight, milestones in your life such as when you first learned to walk or talk and any hospitalizations that you've been to, as well as any ongoing health issues.

The SNAP-IV rating scale has nine questions regarding inattention, and nine regarding hyperactivity and impulsivity. In addition, you'll rank how often you experience these symptoms. The SNAP-IV is a good indicator of whether you have the inattentive or mixed type of ADHD, and it could also help to identify the presence of co-existing disorders like depression or anxiety.

You may be required to provide information on other people, particularly relatives, as ADHD is a condition that can be passed down through families. A family history of ADHD can also indicate if you have the inattentive or impulsive-hyperactivity subtypes of ADHD.

Your evaluation can include neuropsychological and cognitive tests. These tests aren't diagnostic, but they can give valuable information about how ADHD affects your memory, learning, and thinking capabilities.

The Trail-Making Test is a cognitive test that measures how well you can follow a number or letter sequence, and how well you're adept at switching between tasks. This test can be taken for adults and children of all ages and abilities and can be used to detect ADHD as along with other disorders that impact learning and memory.