ADHD traits
ADHD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Only a doctor or another qualified professional can diagnose it, after a full assessment that looks at a person's history and daily life, not just a questionnaire.
The traits linked with ADHD, like a wandering mind, restlessness or losing track of time, are also things most people notice in themselves now and then. The MindScale quiz looks at how often you notice them, in four areas, as a starting point for reflection.
See your own result
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Focus drift
How often your attention wanders from what you meant to be doing.
- Toward the high end
- People here notice their attention drifting often, especially from tasks that feel slow or dull.
- Around the middle
- People here notice their attention wandering some of the time, more with some tasks than others.
- Toward the low end
- People here usually stay with a task once they start, even when it is not very interesting.
Restlessness
How often you feel fidgety, on the go or uneasy sitting still.
- Toward the high end
- People here often feel restless or a need to move, especially during long stretches of sitting.
- Around the middle
- People here feel restless at times, often in long meetings, queues or quiet evenings.
- Toward the low end
- People here can usually sit still and settle without much trouble.
Acting on impulse
How often you speak, decide or buy before thinking it through.
- Toward the high end
- People here often act in the moment: answering fast, interrupting or deciding on the spot.
- Around the middle
- People here sometimes act before they think, more when they are excited, tired or rushed.
- Toward the low end
- People here usually stop and think before they speak or decide.
Time and organization
How often plans, deadlines, belongings and to-do lists slip away from you.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, things often slip: items go missing, they run late or tasks get left until the last minute.
- Around the middle
- People here stay on top of things most of the time, with some areas that are harder to keep in order.
- Toward the low end
- People here usually keep track of time, plans and their things.
How scoring works
Each statement has five response choices. A response contributes from 1 to 5 points to the scale it belongs to, and the points become a position from 0 to 100. Around 0–33 is the low third, 34–66 is around the middle and 67–100 is the high third.
Looking at the separate positions is more useful than treating them as one overall score: the profile shows where the answers sit on each scale.
What looking at these traits can help with
Seeing the four areas separately can help you describe what you notice more clearly: whether it's mostly attention, mostly restlessness, mostly acting quickly or mostly keeping track of plans and time.
That description can be useful if you decide to talk to a professional. It is not a result to act on by itself.
These traits in everyday life
These traits can show up as a half-finished task, a missed appointment or a decision made in a rush. Many people find that simple supports, such as reminders, lists or breaking tasks into smaller steps, make everyday things easier, whatever the reason behind the traits.
If these traits worry you or get in the way of your life, talk to a doctor or another qualified professional.
How to take the test
MindScale's ADHD traits test has 28 statements and no time limit. Choose the response that best matches how you usually are, not how you would like to be.
You can go back and change an answer. When you finish, you can unlock your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Conclusion
Common ADHD traits fall into four areas: focus drift, restlessness, acting on impulse, and time and organization. Noticing them sometimes is part of being human; only a qualified professional can say whether they add up to ADHD.
If you'd like to look at how often these traits show up for you, the MindScale ADHD traits quiz has 28 statements. It is not a diagnosis or a medical test, and the price is shown before you start.
See your own result
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.