Evidence-based assessment/Instruments/ADHD Rating Scale

The ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) is a parent-report or teacher-report inventory created by DuPaul and colleagues consisting of 18 questions regarding a child’s behavior over the past 6 months. It is used to aid in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children ranging from ages 5-17.

The ADHD-RS is currently in its fifth version in correlation with DSM-V.

Scoring
The 18 item ADHD Rating Scale is a questionnaire measured on a likert-type scale from "always or very often" to "rarely or never." It ends with one demographic question regarding age. All questions are intended to be answered regarding the child's behavior in the last 6 months.
 * Items 1-9 are regarding inattention.
 * Items 10-18 are regarding impulsivity and hyperactivity.
 * item 19 asks if some of the behaviors were present in the child before the age of 7

Interpretation
Scoring is based on the DSM-IV-TR criteria for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. For all subtypes, the DSM-IV requires that some symptoms be present in the child before the age of 7. The information required to meet criteria is as follows:


 * ADHD inattentive sub-type: 6 or more of the 9 responses in the “Inattention” section must be either “often” or “always or very often”.
 * ADHD hyperactive sub-type: 6 or more of the 9 responses in the “Impulsivity and Hyperactivity” section must be either “often or “always or very often”.
 * ADHD combined subtype: 6 of the 9 responses must be marked as either “often” or “always or very often” in both the “Inattention” and “Impulsivity and Hyperactivity” sections.

In order to meet the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD, symptoms must be present in two or more settings. It is recommended and common for a parent and a teacher to both complete the ADHD Rating Scale.