The Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales 2nd Edition (CAARS™ 2) was designed to assess core and associated symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults, aged 18 years and older. The CAARS 2 is a revision of the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS™; Conners, Erhardt, & Sparrow, 1999). The CAARS 2 retains key clinical content and DSM-based scales found in the original CAARS while adding several new or substantially updated features, including a Response Style Analysis section, Associated Clinical Concern Items (Critical and Screening Items), and Impairment & Functional Outcome Items.

The CAARS 2 has been designed to gather information from multiple sources, including the person being evaluated (using the Self-Report form) and one or more individuals familiar with the person being evaluated (using the Observer form). Those completing the CAARS 2 Observer may include a spouse, domestic/romantic partner, parent or another family member, friend, co-worker, or roommate, among others. The Self-Report and Observer forms are aligned, with matching scales and nearly identical item content to facilitate comparisons across raters.

The CAARS 2 is a psychometrically strong measure for collecting clinically meaningful data (see chapters 8, Reliability; 9, Validity; and 10, Fairness for additional information about the psychometric properties of the scales). The CAARS 2 was designed for use in both clinical and research settings, providing data pertinent to client or participant screening, diagnostic or baseline assessment, treatment planning, and monitoring progress or outcomes over time and across symptom domains.

This chapter provides a general overview of the CAARS 2, including form types, content differences across forms, changes from the original CAARS, and general administration, scoring, and report options. Various uses of the tool, user qualifications, and principles guiding the use of the CAARS 2 are also discussed.