Additional Scoring Guide: Copeland Symptom List for Adult ADHD
Note: This test does NOT produce a total or overall score. Individual scores are provided for each of the 8 categories assessed.
Scoring Guide
-
Scores between 35-49% suggest mild to moderate difficulties.
-
Scores between 50-69% suggest moderate to severe difficulties.
-
Scores above 70% suggest major interference.
​
Categories Assessed:
Inattention/Distractibility​
Scores between 35-49% suggest mild to moderate difficulties.
-
You may experience difficulties with organization, planning, or task completion, but not to a severe degree.
-
You might struggle with maintaining focus on tasks, especially those that are uninteresting or require sustained effort.
-
Your distractibility may depend on the environment; structured settings may help, while chaotic ones may make focusing harder.
Scores between 50-69% suggest moderate to severe difficulties.
-
You may have persistent difficulties with planning, organization, task initiation, and follow-through.
-
Staying focused on tasks, even those of interest, might be difficult, and you may frequently shift between activities without completion.
-
External stimuli (sounds, movements, etc.) or internal thoughts could make it hard to maintain attention, leading to frequent zoning out.
Scores above 70% suggest major interference.
-
Significant difficulties with organizing thoughts, planning, prioritizing, and completing tasks, even with external structure.
-
Struggling to focus on tasks for more than short periods, frequent zoning out, or losing track of what you're doing.
-
Difficulty completing work, following conversations, or managing responsibilities, potentially leading to frustration or burnout.​​
Impulsivity​
Scores between 35-49% suggest mild to moderate difficulties.
-
Occasional Difficulty with Self-Regulation – You may sometimes act or speak without fully thinking things through, but it’s not severely disruptive.
-
Impulsivity may be more noticeable in overstimulating or stressful environments, while structured settings help you manage it better.
-
Minor difficulties with impulse control could be related to executive function challenges, such as difficulty delaying gratification or managing urges.
Scores between 50-69% suggest moderate to severe difficulties.
-
Frequent Difficulty with Self-Regulation – You may often act or speak without thinking, leading to unintended consequences in social or work settings.
-
You might regularly interrupt, talk over others, or struggle with personal space and turn-taking in conversations.
-
Strong emotions might drive impulsive behaviors, making it hard to pause and process before responding.
Scores above 70% suggest major interference.
-
Frequent, intense impulsive behaviors that significantly impact daily life, relationships, or work.
-
Consistently interrupting, speaking out of turn, or struggling with social cues, leading to misunderstandings or conflicts.
-
Making major choices impulsively (e.g., quitting a job, making large purchases, or engaging in risky behaviors) without considering consequences.
Activity-Level Problems
​
Scores between 35-49% suggest mild to moderate difficulties.
-
Often fidgets or taps hands/feet but can stay seated when needed.
-
May have difficulty sitting through long tasks but can refocus with reminders.
-
Tends to interrupt or blurt out answers but can manage with conscious effort.
Scores between 50-69% suggest moderate to severe difficulties.
-
Frequently gets up from seat or moves around excessively, even in structured settings.
-
Has trouble staying engaged in activities that require sustained focus.
-
Impulsivity leads to frequent disruptions in conversations or group activities.
Scores above 70% suggest major interference.
-
Constantly on the go, struggles to stay seated for even short periods.
-
Unable to complete tasks due to extreme restlessness and distractibility.
-
Impulsivity causes significant social and academic/workplace difficulties.
Noncompliance
Scores between 35-49% suggest mild to moderate difficulties.
-
Occasionally argues or refuses tasks, especially when distracted or overwhelmed.
-
Can follow rules with reminders but may need extra motivation.
-
May struggle with authority but responds to clear structure.
Scores between 50-69% suggest moderate to severe difficulties.
-
Regularly resists requests, leading to frequent conflicts with adults or supervisors.
-
Difficulty following multi-step directions, often requiring repeated instructions.
-
Frequently challenges rules and may struggle with impulse control in decision-making.
Scores above 70% suggest major interference.
-
Persistent refusal to comply with rules, often leading to disciplinary actions.
-
Engages in defiant behaviors that create significant disruption at home or school.
-
Difficulty accepting consequences, often blaming others or reacting emotionally.
Disorganization/Learning Problems
-
Scores between 35-49% suggest mild to moderate difficulties.
-
Occasionally forgets assignments or misplaces important items.
-
Needs reminders and organizational tools to stay on track.
-
Can complete tasks but struggles with time management.
-
-
Scores between 50-69% suggest moderate to severe difficulties.
-
Frequently loses track of assignments and deadlines, leading to lower performance.
-
Needs constant supervision to complete tasks or stay organized.
-
Has difficulty following through on responsibilities, leading to frustration from teachers or employers.
-
-
Scores above 70% suggest major interference.
-
Severe disorganization prevents completion of tasks, causing major setbacks.
-
Often forgets or ignores essential responsibilities, leading to failure in school or work.
-
Struggles to process and retain information, significantly impacting learning.
-
Emotional Difficulties
-
Scores between 35-49% suggest mild to moderate difficulties.
-
Occasional frustration or mood swings but can calm down with self-regulation strategies.
-
May feel overwhelmed at times but recovers quickly.
-
Sensitive to criticism but responds to reassurance.
-
-
Scores between 50-69% suggest moderate to severe difficulties.
-
Frequent emotional outbursts or meltdowns in response to stress.
-
Has difficulty managing frustration, leading to withdrawal or anger.
-
Mood swings impact relationships and daily functioning.
-
-
Scores above 70% suggest major interference.
-
Intense emotional reactions cause significant distress in daily life.
-
Difficulty coping with setbacks, leading to shutdowns or aggressive behavior.
-
Strong emotional instability disrupts relationships and self-esteem.
-
Poor Peer Relations
-
Scores between 35-49% suggest mild to moderate difficulties.
-
Occasionally struggles with social cues but maintains some friendships.
-
May be perceived as quirky or slightly disruptive but is generally accepted.
-
Needs occasional help navigating conflicts but can repair relationships.
-
-
Scores between 50-69% suggest moderate to severe difficulties.
-
Frequently misinterprets social cues, leading to misunderstandings.
-
Struggles to maintain friendships due to impulsive or unpredictable behavior.
-
Often left out of peer activities or experiences social rejection.
-
-
Scores above 70% suggest major interference.
-
Significant isolation, with little to no close friendships.
-
Peers frequently avoid interactions due to disruptive or unpredictable behavior.
-
Difficulty in group settings leads to exclusion and feelings of loneliness.
-
Impaired Family Relations
-
Scores between 35-49% suggest mild to moderate difficulties.
-
Some tension and miscommunication within the family, but relationships remain mostly stable.
-
Needs reminders for responsibilities but generally follows family rules.
-
Occasional conflicts but can resolve them with communication and support.
-
-
Scores between 50-69% suggest moderate to severe difficulties.
-
Frequent arguments or misunderstandings with family members.
-
Difficulty following household routines, leading to frustration from caregivers.
-
Emotional outbursts strain family relationships.
-
-
Scores above 70% suggest major interference.
-
Constant family conflict, leading to emotional distance or resentment.
-
Family members feel overwhelmed by the need to manage behavior.
-
Severe disruptions at home, potentially requiring professional intervention.
-