Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing essential terms and concepts related to the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) Symptom Checklist and its clinical use.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder marked by persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interfere with functioning or development.

Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1)

A brief, 18-item patient questionnaire created with the WHO to screen adults for symptoms consistent with ADHD.

Symptom Checklist

The full 18-question ASRS form, divided into Parts A and B, mirroring DSM-IV-TR criteria for ADHD.

Part A (ASRS Screener)

The first six questions of the checklist; the most predictive items for adult ADHD and used as the primary screening tool.

Part B (ASRS)

The remaining 12 questions of the checklist that provide additional information about symptom frequency but are not scored for diagnostic likelihood.

DSM-IV-TR Criteria

The 18 official diagnostic symptoms for ADHD outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision.

Darkly Shaded Boxes

Response options on the ASRS indicating higher symptom frequency; marks here trigger closer clinical attention.

Screener Threshold

Four or more marks in the shaded boxes of Part A, indicating symptoms highly consistent with adult ADHD and warranting further evaluation.

Symptom Frequency

How often a patient experiences each ADHD symptom; higher frequency often correlates with greater severity and impairment.

Impairment Assessment

Clinician review of how symptoms affect work/school, social, and family functioning, using the completed checklist as a guide.

Childhood History Evaluation

Investigation of early-appearing, long-standing attention or self-control problems to support an adult ADHD diagnosis, even without formal childhood diagnosis.

Screening Value

The importance of early identification of adult ADHD to improve relationships, career success, and safety through appropriate treatment.

WHO Workgroup on Adult ADHD

The international team that co-developed the ASRS, involving experts from New York University and Harvard Medical School.

Lenard Adler, MD

NYU psychiatrist and co-author of the ASRS, specializing in adult ADHD research.

Ronald C. Kessler, PhD

Harvard health-policy researcher who helped develop the ASRS and studies psychiatric epidemiology.

Thomas Spencer, MD

Harvard psychiatrist and ASRS co-author focused on ADHD across the lifespan.