BRIEF-A: an executive function rating scale for adults
Short answer
The BRIEF-A (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Adult Version) is a rating scale published by PAR for ages 18 to 90. You and someone who knows you rate everyday self-regulation and executive function. It is not specific to ADHD, it is sold only to qualified professionals, and PAR now recommends its newer edition, the BRIEF2A.
Executive function is the umbrella term for the mental skills that help you plan, organize, start, stop, switch and keep track. ADHD often comes up in the same conversations, but the two are not the same thing. The BRIEF-A was designed to describe executive function in everyday life, whatever the reason for difficulty.
The basics, from the publisher
- Full name
- Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Adult Version
- Authors
- Robert M. Roth, Peter K. Isquith and Gerard A. Gioia
- Publisher
- PAR, Inc.
- Ages
- 18 to 90
- Forms
- Self-report and informant report
- Purchase
- Qualified professionals only (PAR qualification level B)
- Current edition
- PAR recommends the newer BRIEF2A
Why a rating of daily life, not a puzzle
Some executive function measures are tasks done in a testing room. The BRIEF-A instead asks about real routines: what happens at home, at work, with plans and with belongings. That makes it a window onto ordinary days. The tradeoff is that it reflects perception, yours and the informant's, rather than performance on a timed task.
Where it fits
- In ADHD evaluations, it may help describe which everyday skills are hardest.
- In neuropsychological assessments, it can sit beside task-based tests of memory and reasoning.
- Outside ADHD care, it can describe everyday self-regulation whatever the reason for difficulty, since it is not tied to one condition.
Because executive function difficulties can come from many sources, a high rating does not point to ADHD in particular. A clinician reads it alongside history, interview and other measures.
That is also why the informant form matters. Your own sense of how organized you are can shift with mood and stress. A second rater who sees your routines adds a steadier reference point, and the differences between the two views can be as informative as the ratings themselves.
If PAR's newer BRIEF2A is used instead, the same broad idea applies: everyday executive function described by you and an informant, interpreted by a professional, and read as one part of a wider assessment
How it differs from what ADHDFalcon offers
Our free screener has two parts. Part 1 is the official six-question ASRS v1.1 Screener, which asks about ADHD-related experiences over the past six months. Part 2 is the ADHDFalcon Attention Profile, an original, non-clinical self-reflection with 24 statements across six everyday areas. It is scored 0 to 100 per area for description only, has no norms, and is not an ADHD measure; its full scores appear in the optional paid report.
The BRIEF-A is a licensed, standardized professional instrument with an informant form, scored against reference data by a clinician. Our Attention Profile is none of those things. It is a way to reflect on your own week, not a substitute for a professional rating scale, and we do not compare the two in quality.
What it does not do
It does not diagnose ADHD or any other condition, and it does not explain why executive function is hard for you. It is also not meant to be self-administered from an unofficial copy; PAR restricts purchase to qualified users who can interpret it.
- Which everyday skills feel hardest: planning, starting, switching, keeping track, or stopping?
- Who could describe my daily routines fairly if a clinician asked for an informant?
A starting point for your next step.
The free screener starts with the six-question ASRS v1.1 and shows the official outcome right away.Frequently asked questions
Is the BRIEF-A an ADHD test?
No. It rates executive function and self-regulation in everyday life. It may be used in ADHD evaluations, but difficulties it describes can have many causes.
Has the BRIEF-A been replaced?
PAR still lists the BRIEF-A but recommends the newer edition, the BRIEF2A.
Can I buy the BRIEF-A myself?
PAR sells it to professionals who meet its qualification level. A clinician administers and interprets it.
Sources
Source check: 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.
- CHADD, About ADHD
- PAR, Inc., "BRIEF-A: Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Adult Version" (Robert M. Roth, Peter K. Isquith, Gerard A. Gioia), publisher product page
- NIMH, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: What You Need to Know
Published 2026-10-28. Factual source check: ADHDFalcon editorial team, factual source check, 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.