ADHD test for adults: do I have ADHD?

The short answer

No online test can tell you whether you have ADHD. A self-test or screening questionnaire can show whether your experiences look like ADHD and whether a full assessment is worth it. An objective test, such as QbCheck, measures attention, impulsivity and activity. Only a clinical assessment by a qualified specialist can diagnose ADHD.

If you are wondering "do I have ADHD?", a good first step is the free adult screening. It is a short questionnaire that helps you decide what to do next. It is not a diagnosis.

Three different things called an ADHD test

Screening questionnaires and online self-tests

Most online ADHD tests are screening questionnaires. Some are based on validated tools, such as the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), developed with the World Health Organization. Others are informal quizzes with no evidence behind them.

Even a good screening questionnaire has limits:

• It relies on how you see yourself today, which can be coloured by stress, low mood or a bad week
• It cannot distinguish ADHD from other conditions that look similar, such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems or trauma
• It does not look at your childhood in any depth, and the diagnostic criteria require several symptoms to be present before the age of 12
• It cannot tell you how much your difficulties affect your life

This is why NICE guideline NG87 says ADHD should not be diagnosed from a rating scale alone. Use a screening to decide on your next step, not as the answer.

Objective tests: what QbCheck adds

Questionnaires depend on how you describe yourself. QbCheck is different. It is an online test made by Qbtech that you do at home on a computer with a webcam. It records how accurately and consistently you respond to shapes on the screen, and how much you move, then compares your results with people of the same age and sex who do not have ADHD.

It is a useful, objective piece of evidence, but it is not a diagnosis either. At ADH-Me it is part of the full assessment, not offered on its own. Read the full guide to the QbCheck ADHD test.

A clinical diagnosis: the only definitive answer

A diagnosis comes from a qualified specialist who puts everything together: an in-depth interview about your life now and as a child, rating scales, information from people who know you where possible, a look at your wider health, and ideally an objective measure such as QbCheck.

The specialist checks whether your symptoms meet the diagnostic criteria, whether several were present before the age of 12, whether they show up in more than one part of your life, and whether something else explains them better. Our page on the adult ADHD assessment explains what is involved, and how to get an ADHD diagnosis compares the NHS and private routes.

Do I have ADHD? Signs a full assessment may be worthwhile

The full list of symptoms is not repeated here. Our guide to adult ADHD symptoms covers the quieter, internal signs adults often miss. Instead, ask yourself these questions:

• Has it always been this way? ADHD symptoms begin in childhood, and the diagnostic criteria require several symptoms to be present before the age of 12, even if nobody noticed at the time. Think about school, homework and how teachers described you.
• Does it show up everywhere? At work, at home, with money, in relationships, not only in one stressful job or one difficult year.
• Is it causing significant problems? Missed deadlines, lost jobs, strained relationships, or the exhaustion of constantly compensating.
• Have you tried the usual strategies? Lists, apps and willpower help for a while, then stop working.
• Does it run in the family? A child, parent or sibling with ADHD can be a reason to look more closely.

If you answered yes to several of these, a full assessment may be worthwhile. If you are not sure, take the free adult screening first. For a child or teenager, use the child screening and read about ADHD in children.

What to do next

1. ScreenTake the free adult screening to see whether a full assessment is appropriate.
2. Decide on a routeAsk your GP for an NHS referral, or contact a private provider directly. Read private ADHD assessment in Wales if you live in Wales.
3. Get assessedA full assessment, in person or online by video, ending with a written report.