The ASRS-5, explained
Short answer
The ASRS-5, also called the ASRS DSM-5, is a self-report questionnaire for adults that Lenard Adler and Ronald Kessler updated to DSM-5 criteria. It has its own six-question screener, a symptom checklist and proprietary scoring. It is a separate instrument from the ASRS v1.1 screener on this site, and NYU licenses it separately.
Two adult self-report scales carry nearly the same name, and both trace back to the same two researchers. That makes them easy to mix up. The ASRS v1.1 Screener, the one you can take free on ADHDFalcon, was built on the older DSM-IV criteria. The ASRS-5 is a later instrument written for the DSM-5.
- Full name
- Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale for DSM-5 (ASRS DSM-5, often shortened to ASRS-5)
- Developers
- Lenard Adler, MD (NYU) and Ronald C. Kessler, PhD (Harvard)
- Licensor
- NYU Langone Health, Technology Opportunities & Ventures
- Format
- Self-report questionnaire for adults 18+
- Parts
- A six-question screener and a symptom checklist with proprietary scoring rules
Why a DSM-5 version was needed
The way the screener was built is also different. Instead of choosing questions with the older statistical method, the team used a machine-learning approach designed to produce short scales with whole-number weights. In plain terms, some answers count for more than others when the screener is scored.
Who can use it, and on what terms
That last point matters. If a clinic wants to use the ASRS-5 with patients, the licensing questions go to NYU, not to a website. We do not offer the ASRS-5 on ADHDFalcon, and we do not reproduce its questions or scoring anywhere.
How it differs from the screener on this site
| ASRS v1.1 Screener (offered here) | ASRS-5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria it was written for | DSM-IV | DSM-5 |
| Length of the screener | Six questions | Six questions |
| How the screener is scored | Count answers that fall in shaded boxes | Weighted scoring rules set by the developers |
| License shown by NYU | Free for clinical and non-clinical use, with attribution, electronic versions allowed | Research and academic license listed |
Neither version is a diagnosis, and this page does not rank them. They answer slightly different design goals. We offer v1.1 because its license allows a free electronic version for the public, with attribution.
What the ASRS-5 does not do
- It does not diagnose ADHD. Like any screener, it flags whether a fuller evaluation may be worth having.
- It does not look at childhood history, other conditions, or how symptoms affect work, school and relationships. A clinician covers those.
- It does not replace an interview. NIMH describes interviews, rating scales and conversations with people who know you as separate parts of an adult evaluation.
If you want to try a screener today
The free screener here is the official six-question ASRS v1.1, © New York University and the President and Fellows of Harvard College. It asks about the past six months and gives the official outcome at no cost. If a clinician later uses the ASRS-5 or another scale with you, your v1.1 result is still useful background to bring along. Write down the date you took it and any examples that came to mind while answering, since those details often matter more in an appointment than the outcome itself.
A starting point for your next step.
Take the free six-question ASRS v1.1 screener and see the official outcome right away.Frequently asked questions
Are the ASRS-5 and the ASRS v1.1 one instrument?
No. Both come from Lenard Adler and Ronald Kessler, but the ASRS-5 was written for DSM-5 criteria, uses its own weighted scoring and is licensed separately by NYU. The ASRS v1.1 Screener on this site was built on DSM-IV criteria.
Can I take the ASRS-5 on ADHDFalcon?
No. We offer only the six-question ASRS v1.1 Screener, whose license permits a free electronic version. NYU lists the ASRS-5 under a research and academic license, and we do not reproduce its questions.
Does a positive result on either screener mean ADHD?
No. A screener suggests whether a full evaluation may be worthwhile. Only a qualified clinician can make a diagnosis, using an interview, history and other information.
Sources
Source check: 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.
- Ustun B, Adler LA, Rudin C, Faraone SV, Spencer TJ, Berglund P, Gruber MJ, Kessler RC. The World Health Organization Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Screening Scale for DSM-5. JAMA Psychiatry. 2017;74(5):520-527.
- 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.
- NYU Langone TOV, ASRS v1.1 6-Question Screener license page
- National Institute of Mental Health, "ADHD in Adults: 4 Things to Know"
Published 2026-10-28. Factual source check: ADHDFalcon editorial team, factual source check, 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.