ADHD Scales for Children and Adolescents Available at No Cost on the Internet
Jay M. Pomerantz, M.D.

SNAP-IV-R Rating Scale
This revised scale based on DSM-IV can be used with children and adolescents ages 6-18.  It contains 90 items and takes about 10 minutes to administer. The SNAP-IV includes symptoms of ADHD and also oppositional defiant disorders (ODD) and aggression. It was developed by Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham and is a revision of the original SNAP published in 1983.  Inattention symptoms are measured in items #1-#9, hyperactivity/impulsivity in items #11-#19, and possible Oppositional Defiant Disorder (items #21-#28). Other questions ask about symptoms which partially address Conduct Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Tourette’s Disorder, Narcolepsy, Major Depression, Dysthymia, Mania, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Stereotypic Movement Disorder, PTSD, Adjustment Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder---all of which may confound, exclude, or be comorbid with ADHD.  Another strength of the SNAP-IV-R is that it includes the 10 items of the Swanson, Kotkin, Agleer, Mylnn, and Pelham (SKAMP) Rating Scale, which are specific for classroom manifestations of ADHD (getting started, staying on task, interactions with others, completing work, etc.).

SNAP-IV rating scale and instructions for scoring are available and easily downloadable at:

http://www.adhd.net/snap-iv-form.pdf

http://www.adhd.net/snap-iv-instructions.pdf

Vanderbilt ADHD Scales
The Vanderbilt ADHD Scale is DSM-IV based and comprised of separate parent and teacher rating forms for use with children aged 6-12.   Like all such assessment tools, it provides information about symptoms which may be used by a clinician to make a diagnosis of ADHD, even breaking down ADHD by its various subtypes: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, or combined.  The Vanderbilt scales also look for symptoms of frequent comorbidities, such as oppositional defiance, conduct disorder, anxiety, and depression. School function is also evaluated, with separate questions about academic and behavioral performance.  Each Vanderbilt Scale can be completed in approximately 10 minutes---the Parent Form is comprised of 55 items (third grade reading level) and the Teacher Form has 43 items. 

The test forms and instructions for scoring are free and available on line at: http://www.vanderbiltchildrens.com/uploads/documents/ccdr_adhd_scale.pdf

http://www.brightfutures.org/mentalhealth/pdf/professionals/bridges/adhd.pdf

The forms are available in Spanish and German as well as English.  Field tests with > 20,000 children show good to excellent internal consistency and reliability.  Validity measures include moderate correlations with Disc-4 (Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children), but low interrater reliability between parents and teachers.

ADHD Rating Scale
This simple scale is based on DSM-IV, scoring the 18 criteria for ADHD.  The frequency of each symptom is rated by a parent, teacher, clinician or child/adolescent as: (0) never, (1) sometimes, (2) often, or (3) very often. This scale is useful for diagnosing ADHD and its severity as well as measuring improvements with treatment or other interventions. It is used with children 6-12 years old and takes 10-15 minutes to complete.

Both home and school versions are available on line for free at: http://elcaminopediatrics.com/forms_medrecords_adhdhome_pf.htm

http://elcaminopediatrics.com/forms_medrecords_adhdschool_pf.htm