Over the past six months…
0 / 6 answered1How often do you have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project, once the challenging parts have been done?
2How often do you have difficulty getting things in order when you have to do a task that requires organisation?
3How often do you have problems remembering appointments or obligations?
4When you have a task that requires a lot of thought, how often do you avoid or delay getting started?
5How often do you fidget or squirm with your hands or feet when you have to sit down for a long time?
6How often do you feel overly active and compelled to do things, like you were driven by a motor?
What ADHD is, in short
ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition in which ongoing patterns of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity begin in childhood and interfere with daily life. It is recognised in both the DSM-5 and ICD-11.
ADHD isn't a sign of low intelligence or a lack of effort, and it is independent of IQ. It often continues into adulthood, where hyperactivity tends to become inner restlessness while disorganisation and time-management problems come to the fore.
By What's Your IQ · Reviewed 4 Oct 2026- Screener
- WHO Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, v1.1, Part A
- Questions
- 6, about the past 6 months
- Positive screen
- 4 or more answers in the symptom range
- For
- Adults 18+
ADHD in adults, explained
Inattentivefocus, follow-throughHyperactive-impulsiverestless, acts firstCombinedThe three presentations; a person can move between them.
IN CHILDHOODIN ADULTHOOD
Can’t stay seated
Blurts out answers
Loses homework
Can’t finish class tasks
Subtler adult signs are one reason many adults go undiagnosed for years.WHAT PEOPLE NOTICEFidgetingInterruptingRestlessness
WHAT OFTEN GOES UNSEEN · ESPECIALLY IN WOMENDaydreamingDisorganisationLosing focusMental exhaustionInattentive features are easy to miss, so women and girls tend to be identified later.
IF 100 ADULTS WITH ADHD TOOK THIS SCREENERAbout 69 would screen positive. About 31 would not.And among adults without ADHD, only about 1 in 200 screens positive. So a positive result is a strong signal, but a negative one doesn't rule ADHD out.sensitivity 68.7%specificity 99.5%accuracy 97.9%
Worldwide, about 2.8% of adults meet criteria for ADHD, averaged across 20 countries in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys.
- Kessler, R. C., Adler, L., Ames, M., et al. (2005). The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): A short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 245–256.
- Fayyad, J., Sampson, N. A., Hwang, I., et al. (2017). The descriptive epidemiology of DSM-IV Adult ADHD in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 9(1), 47–65.
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).
Screened positive? Note real examples from work and home, recall whether they started in childhood, and book a GP or doctor appointment. ADHD is very manageable with the right support.