Brief Description
The Wender Utah Rating Scale-25 (WURS-25) is a self-report assessment designed to retroactively evaluate the presence and severity of childhood symptoms of ADHD in adults. The WURS-25 was developed from the original 61-item questionnaire. It contains the 25 items that most effectively distinguished individuals with ADHD from control groups (healthy individuals and those with depression). Most of the final 25 items don’t directly assess core ADHD symptoms but were selected for their ability to differentiate between the groups. Examples of items on the WURS-25 include “As a child, I had temper outbursts, tantrums,” and “As a child, I had a tendency to be immature.” Respondents rate each item on a scale from “not at all” to “very much.” This tool is commonly used in ADHD diagnosis of adults because it addresses the requirement of childhood onset.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
25
Age Range for Administration
18+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
The tool is meant to be used once as a diagnostic aid at intake or when ADHD is first suspected in an adult.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Responses are provided on a scale of 0 (“not at all”) to 4 (“very much”). Scoring the WURS-25 involves summing the responses to all 25 items, with a total possible score ranging from 0 to 100. The cutoff score of 46 or higher suggests a high likelihood that the respondent experienced childhood ADHD symptoms. This is an important step in making an adult ADHD diagnosis, as the presence of ADHD symptoms before the age of 12 is a requirement for receiving an ADHD diagnosis as an adult.
Blueprint Adjustments
Research suggests two cutoff scores. The first is 36 or higher. This number correctly identified 96% of adults with ADHD and 96% of healthy individuals (Ward et al., 1993). The second number is 46 or higher, which accurately identified 86% of adults with ADHD, 99% of healthy controls, and 81% of adults with depression. Blueprint uses the cutoff score of 46.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time for completion: 6-12 minutes
The WURS-25 is meant to aid the diagnosis of ADHD in adults as one step in the process. It should not serve as the sole basis for making a diagnosis.
Citation
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
We're here for you!
Do you have follow-up questions? We're here and happy to help!
Send us an email at help@blueprint-health.com or use the help messenger in the lower right corner to speak with our Support team. 💪🏼