MHS is proud to announce the arrival of the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales 2nd Edition (CAARS™ 2). The original CAARS, first published in 1999, was among the first psychometrically-sound clinical measures created specifically for the assessment of ADHD in adults. Since its publication, it has become and continues to be a popular and internationally accepted tool for its brevity, comprehensiveness, and clinical utility. The revision reflects the growth of understanding of the disorder in adults.

The CAARS 2 builds upon the strong foundation provided by its predecessor. It now is an even more comprehensive tool that, in conjunction with other sources of information, aids in the diagnostic process as well as treatment evaluation and monitoring. The CAARS 2 is a versatile measure, offering different versions to suit users’ individual needs, including the full-length form for initial evaluations, the short form for repeated assessments, and the ADHD Index which can be used as a pre-screening tool.

While retaining the key components and strengths of the CAARS, the CAARS 2 now has significant improvements and updates. These include the following:

• Greater alignment with the Conners 4th Edition (Conners 4™; Conners, 2022) to allow for a lifespan approach to the assessment of ADHD.
  
  
• Updated item content for equity and inclusion by focusing on fairness (with regards to gender and race/ethnicity among other variables) throughout the development process.
  
  
• A new, comprehensive Response Style Analysis section to improve the ability to detect problematic response styles, including enhanced validity scales to capture invalid responding.
  
  
• The addition of research-based item-level indicators to screen for issues that are highly co-morbid with ADHD in adults and may require immediate clinical follow-up.
  
  
• Updated, expanded, and reconceptualized scales, as well as new scales to cover core symptoms of ADHD and its associated features.
  
  
• Updated CAARS™ 2‒ADHD Index, derived from advanced statistical techniques, to optimize its accuracy in discriminating between individuals with and without ADHD.
  
  
• Items created to assess aspects of impairment and functional outcomes typically experienced by individuals with ADHD symptoms
  
  
• Updated and expanded normative data applicable to a diverse group of adults with respect to age (up to 70+ years), gender, race/ethnicity, education level, and geographic location throughout the U.S. and Canada.
  
  
• Inclusion of ADHD Reference Samples to allow for a greater understanding of the severity of an individual’s profile of scores when compared to adults with an ADHD diagnosis.
  
  

Users are invited to share their experiences with and their feedback on the CAARS 2 to help inform future refinements and enhancements of the assessment. Please send any questions or comments to [email protected]. Users are also encouraged to visit the MHS website at www.mhs.com to find out about other innovative MHS products.

Steven J. Stein, Ph.D.
Executive Chair and Founder
October 2023

Hazel Wheldon, M.A.
CEO
October 2023