The ADHD symptom checklist and the six-question screener
Short answer
The best-known adult ADHD symptom checklist is the 18-item ASRS v1.1 Symptom Checklist, written around an earlier edition of the DSM and licensed separately, with clinical permissions granted through its own channel. ADHDFalcon does not offer it. We offer the six-question ASRS v1.1 Screener, which is Part A of that checklist, free, with an immediate screening outcome. Neither one diagnoses ADHD.
People often search for an ADHD symptom checklist expecting a printable list to tick off. For adults, the checklist most often referred to is a specific, licensed instrument. Here is what it is, how it relates to what you can take on this site, and why we do not reproduce it.
A starting point for your next step.
Start the free screenerWhat the 18-item checklist is
We describe the structure only. The checklist items themselves stay inside the licensed instrument, and this page does not list, summarize or rephrase them.
Separate permissions, separate rules
The six-question screener and the full checklist are licensed differently, which is the main reason ADHDFalcon offers only the screener.
We have not licensed the 18-item checklist, so we do not show its items, paraphrase them, or score them. If you see a site presenting all eighteen questions, it is fair to wonder whether it has the rights to do so.
Where the screener sits inside the checklist
| ASRS v1.1 Screener | ASRS v1.1 Symptom Checklist | |
|---|---|---|
| Items | Six | Eighteen (Part A plus Part B) |
| Relationship | The six Part A items | Contains the screener as Part A |
| Typical use | Screening, outreach, a first look | Often used in clinical settings |
| On ADHDFalcon | Yes, free | No |
Checklists are part of an evaluation, not all of it
So even the full checklist, filled in carefully, is one input among several. The interview, your history and what other people have noticed all carry weight, and a trained clinician puts them together.
An older manual behind the checklist
The ASRS v1.1 checklist was written around the DSM-IV-TR, an earlier edition of the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic manual. The manual has been revised since then.
We use the v1.1 screener because its license allows a free electronic version with attribution. If you read about ADHD criteria elsewhere, the wording may not match the older checklist, and a clinician works from current standards during an evaluation.
Why a printable list from an unknown site is different
Many websites publish their own symptom lists. Some have no named author, no license and no scoring instructions. Ticking items on a list like that tells you which sentences felt familiar on the day you read them, and nothing more. It cannot tell you whether a pattern is unusual, how much it affects your life, or what else might explain it.
A published instrument at least tells you who wrote it, who holds the rights and how it is meant to be scored. That is a low bar, but it is a useful one when you are deciding which tools to trust with your time.
If a clinician gives you the full checklist
- Mention that you have already taken the six-question screener and share your outcome.
- Answer the new items fresh rather than trying to match your earlier answers.
- Ask how the checklist will be used alongside the interview and history.
The ADHDFalcon Attention Profile, Part 2 of our screener, is not a symptom checklist either. It is an original, non-clinical reflection of 24 statements across six everyday areas, with descriptive scores and no norms, and it does not measure ADHD.
A starting point for your next step.
Take the six-question Part A screenerFrequently asked questions
Can I take the 18-question ASRS checklist on ADHDFalcon?
No. The full checklist has its own permissions, which we have not obtained. We offer the six-question ASRS v1.1 Screener, which is Part A of the checklist.
Why are the checklist items not listed on this page?
Reproducing them would require permissions we do not hold, and the official instruments should not be altered or excerpted outside licensed use.
Is a symptom checklist a diagnosis?
No. NICE says a diagnosis should not rest on rating scales alone. A checklist is one part of a clinical evaluation.
Who uses the full checklist?
It is often used by clinicians, and NYU handles clinical-use permissions through the ADHD in Adults website. Research use has separate terms.
Sources
Source check: 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.
- 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 TOV, ASRS v1.1 6-Question Screener license page
- CDC, ADHD in Adults
- NIMH, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: What You Need to Know
- NICE guideline NG87, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management
- American Psychiatric Association, "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR)", psychiatry.org
- NYU Langone Health, Technology Opportunities & Ventures. ASRS DSM-5 (Technology No. ADL01-06), licensing page. Authors Lenard Adler, MD, and Ronald C. Kessler, PhD.
Published 2026-10-28. Factual source check: ADHDFalcon editorial team, factual source check, 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.