The ASRS: 6 questions vs 18 questions
Short answer
The six-question ASRS v1.1 Screener is a subset of the 18-question ASRS v1.1 Symptom Checklist. Those six questions form Part A of the full checklist, and Part B holds the other twelve. The short version exists for quick screening. NYU says people who screen positive may benefit from completing the full checklist with their clinician.
If you have looked around online, you may have seen references to both a six-question ASRS and an 18-question ASRS, and wondered which is the real one. Both are real. They are two parts of the same family of questionnaires, built for slightly different jobs.
How the two fit together
| Six-question Screener | 18-question Symptom Checklist | |
|---|---|---|
| What it contains | Part A only | Part A plus Part B |
| Main job | Quick screening to flag who may benefit from a fuller look | A fuller symptom picture, often used with a clinician |
| How the outcome is read | Positive or negative, based on shaded boxes | Used by clinicians as part of a broader assessment |
| Offered on ADHDFalcon | Yes, free | No |
Why a shorter version exists at all
Put simply, the short version exists for one narrow job: helping decide, quickly, who should be offered a fuller look. It was never meant to describe a particular person in detail, and nothing in the research turns six answers into a verdict. Understanding an individual is a clinician's job.
Why a clinician might use all 18
The full checklist is built on the symptom list of an older edition of the diagnostic manual, so it gives a clinician a broader set of observations to discuss with you. It is one input among many. A clinician will still ask about your history, your childhood, the settings where problems show up, and other possible explanations.
Think of the difference this way. The screener asks a small number of well-chosen questions to decide whether a closer look makes sense. The checklist widens the view so a clinician can see which kinds of experiences are most frequent for you and talk through each one. Neither replaces the conversation itself.
If you see an 18-question version online
You may come across websites offering the full checklist or reworded versions of it. We cannot speak for how those sites obtained permission or whether their versions match the published instrument. If a clinician asks you to complete the full checklist, the version they provide is the one to use, and they can explain how they will read it. When a website does not say where its questions came from, treat its results with extra caution.
Why ADHDFalcon offers only the six questions
We offer the screener we are clearly permitted to offer, in its published form. We do not reproduce, adapt, or score the 18-question checklist, and we do not show any of its wording. If a clinician wants you to complete it, they will provide it.
What this means for you in practice
- If you want a quick, structured first look, the six-question screener is designed for exactly that.
- If your outcome is positive, bring it to a clinician, who can decide whether the full checklist or other tools would help.
- If your outcome is negative but you are still struggling, the full checklist is not a workaround. A conversation with a provider is the better next step.
- Whatever version you complete, the result is one input to an evaluation, not a diagnosis.
What about the ASRS-5?
Because it is a different instrument with its own scoring and permissions, results from the ASRS-5 and the ASRS v1.1 screener are not interchangeable. ADHDFalcon offers only the v1.1 six-question screener.
A starting point for your next step.
Start with the six-question v1.1 screener. If your outcome is positive, a clinician can decide whether the full checklist is useful.Frequently asked questions
Which version should I take on my own?
The six-question screener is the one built for a quick first look, and it is the only version ADHDFalcon offers. The full checklist is something a clinician may ask you to complete if they think it would help.
Are the six screener questions included in the 18?
Yes. According to NYU, the six screener questions are Part A of the 18-question Symptom Checklist, and Part B contains the other twelve.
Can I take the 18-question checklist on ADHDFalcon?
No. The 18-question checklist has separate permissions, and we do not reproduce or score it. A clinician can provide it if it is useful for you.
Is the ASRS-5 the same as the ASRS v1.1?
No. NYU lists the ASRS DSM-5 as a separate instrument updated to DSM-5 criteria, with its own proprietary scoring and licensing.
Sources
Source check: 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.
- NYU Langone TOV, ASRS v1.1 6-Question Screener license page
- NYU Langone Health, Technology Opportunities & Ventures. ASRS v1.1 18-Question Symptom Checklist (Technology No. ADL01-07), licensing page. Authors Lenard Adler, MD, and Ronald C. Kessler, PhD.
- NYU Langone Health, Technology Opportunities & Ventures. ASRS DSM-5 (Technology No. ADL01-06), licensing page. Authors Lenard Adler, MD, and Ronald C. Kessler, PhD.
- Kessler RC, Adler L, Ames M, et al. The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): a short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychological Medicine. 2005;35(2):245-256.
Published 2026-10-28. Factual source check: ADHDFalcon editorial team, factual source check, 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.