Free self-reflection quiz · not a diagnosis
What Type of ADHD Do I Have? A Free ADHD Type Quiz
Most ADHD type quizzes were written with hyperactive boys in mind. This one counts the restlessness you feel inside, not only the kind people can see, because that is how it shows up for many women who were diagnosed late, or not yet.
Answer 18 statements about the last six months and see whether your answers lean toward the inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive or combined presentation, with what that usually looks like and what to do next.
Quick answer
What type of ADHD do I have?
ADHD has three recognized presentations: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined. Which one fits depends on whether your signs cluster around attention and organization, restlessness and impulsivity, or both. A quiz can show which way your answers lean, but only a clinician can diagnose ADHD and its presentation.
The quiz: 18 statements, about 3 minutes
Think about the last six months, at home and at work. Answer how often each one is true for you. Your answers are not saved or sent anywhere.
The three ADHD presentations
| Presentation | What it often looks like | How it often shows in women |
|---|---|---|
| Predominantly inattentive | Losing details, drifting off mid-conversation, forgetting, misplacing things, struggling to organize and finish tasks. | The most common presentation in late-diagnosed women; often mistaken for daydreaming, anxiety or 'just being disorganized'. |
| Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive | Fidgeting, inner restlessness, talking a lot, interrupting, finding it hard to wait, acting on impulse. | Often read as 'chatty' or 'too much'; many women learn to hide the restlessness, so it turns inward. |
| Combined | Clear signs in both areas: attention and organization, and restlessness and impulsivity. | Frequently described as feeling scattered and restless at the same time, and masking both. |
Why so many women get the quiet kind (or think they do)
Inattentive signs rarely disrupt anyone else, so they are easy to miss in school and easy to explain away as an adult. Many women also learn early to cover the restless, impulsive side: they fidget under the table, rehearse what to say, and save the overflow for when they are alone. That masking can make a combined pattern look inattentive from the outside.
That is why this quiz asks about restlessness you feel, not just restlessness others see. If your answers surprised you, it is worth reading why ADHD is so often missed in women.
What this quiz can and cannot tell you
- It can show which group of signs your answers lean toward, and give you words and examples to take to an appointment.
- It cannot tell you whether you have ADHD. Anxiety, depression, sleep problems, thyroid issues and perimenopause can all affect attention and restlessness.
- It does not look at your childhood or how much the signs affect your life, which a real assessment always does.
Want something lighter?
Our ADHD personality quiz matches you to one of seven funny ADHD archetypes, from the Doom Piler to the Hyperfocus Goblin. Pure self-recognition, no clinical labels.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 3 types of ADHD?
Predominantly inattentive (trouble with attention, organization and follow-through), predominantly hyperactive-impulsive (restlessness, a strong drive to move or talk, acting before thinking), and combined, where both groups of signs are clearly present.
Which type of ADHD is most common in women?
Women are more often diagnosed with the inattentive presentation, and many are diagnosed late because quiet inattention is easy to miss. Women can have any of the three presentations, though, including combined.
Can your ADHD type change?
Yes. Symptoms can change over time, so the presentation can change too. Many adults find visible hyperactivity fades into inner restlessness while attention difficulties stay.
Are there 7 types of ADHD?
The idea of seven types comes from one clinician's brain-imaging model and is not part of official diagnostic criteria. Clinical guidelines, including the DSM-5 used in the US, describe three presentations.
Is this ADHD type quiz a diagnosis?
No. It is a self-reflection tool that shows which group of signs your answers lean toward. A diagnosis also looks at childhood history, impact on daily life, and other possible causes, which only a qualified clinician can assess.
Is inattentive ADHD the same as ADD?
Largely, yes. 'ADD' is an older name for what is now called ADHD, predominantly inattentive presentation. The name changed, but many people still use ADD informally.
Sources
Written by the ADHD Pearls Editorial Team for education and self-reflection. The statements are our own wording around the two symptom areas described by the CDC and NIMH; they are not a validated screening instrument and cannot diagnose ADHD or any other condition. See our editorial approach.