The Adult ADHD Rating Scale & The Wender Utah Rating Scale

Two self-report assessments used to test for ADHD in adults are the Adult ADHD Rating Scale (ASRS) and the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS). In a study published in 2020 by Brevik (et. al.), these two psychometric tools were administered to adult subjects diagnosed with ADHD in order to compare and contrast their efficacy, strengths, and weaknesses. The sample was significant, as 646 subjects with confirmed ADHD and a control group of 908 subjects were administered the ASRS and the WURS. They found that both methods were highly accurate in identifying whether or not a participant had ADHD, though with a few slight differences. Since the WURS is more extensive and covers a wider breadth of symptoms, the results indicate that it is the more accurate tool for distinguishing specific traits and possible causes of an ADHD diagnosis.


However, as is typical across all science, these questionnaires are no silver bullet for ADHD assessment. Memory biases and human recall can potentially provide flawed results. What’s more, it’s possible that the participants would have scored differently if they had taken the tests at a different point in their life, such as in childhood or a time when they experienced heightened levels of distress. This means that the ASRS and WURS, while incredibly valuable aids, are not sufficient to make an official diagnosis on their own. Rather, they should be cross-examined with other measurements and assessments administered by professionals. As such, a better way to diagnose ADHD likely involves taking multiple diagnostic tests over time, beginning in childhood and concluding in adulthood—a task more easily performed with a therapist’s assistance.


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