Self-reported questionnaire used to assist in the diagnosis of ADHD in adults
The Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) is a psychological assessment tool used to help diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. It is a self-report questionnaire that asks individuals to retrospectively recall and rate the frequency and severity of symptoms they experienced during childhood that are characteristic of ADHD.[1][2] The assessment was released in 1993 after being developed by Paul H. Wender and his colleagues at the University of Utah School of Medicine.[1][2][3]
WURS-61: The original 61-item version, which covers a wider range of symptoms and potential confounding factors.
WURS-25: A shorter 25-item version designed for increased efficiency and ease of administration.
Scoring
The Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) scores the same set of 25 questions in both the abbreviated version (WURS-25) and the extended version (WURS-61), which includes an additional 36 unscored questions. Respondents rate each question on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 points ("not at all or very slightly") to 4 points ("very much"). The cumulative score spans from 0 to 100. A cutoff score of 36 or higher was able to accurately identify 96% of adults with ADHD and 96% of adults without ADHD. When the cutoff score was raised to 46 or higher, the assessment was able to accurately identify 86% of adults with ADHD and 99% of adults without ADHD.[1][4]
^ abcWard MF, Wender PH, Reimherr FW (June 1993). "The Wender Utah Rating Scale: an aid in the retrospective diagnosis of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder". The American Journal of Psychiatry. 150 (6): 885–90. doi:10.1176/ajp.150.6.885. PMID8494063.
^ abcGift TE, Reimherr ML, Marchant BK, Steans TA, Reimherr FW (March 2021). "Wender Utah Rating Scale: Psychometrics, clinical utility and implications regarding the elements of ADHD". Journal of Psychiatric Research. 135: 181–188. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.01.013. PMID33493947.
