The Conners 4th Edition (Conners 4®)

The Conners 4th Edition (Conners 4®) is a multi-informant rating scale developed to assess ADHD-related symptoms and the ways they may affect everyday functioning in young people aged 6 to 18 years. It gathers information from people who see the young person in different settings. It is not an intelligence test, a performance task or a stand-alone diagnostic test.

A psychologist may use Conners 4 as one part of a broader child behaviour or ADHD assessment. The forms help organise observations about attention, activity level, impulse control and functioning, but results must be interpreted with the young person’s history and other clinical information.

Who completes Conners 4?

The available form depends on the young person’s age and the referral question:

• Parent form: for parents or carers of young people aged 6 to 18 years.
• Teacher form: for educators rating young people aged 6 to 18 years.
• Self-report: for young people aged 8 to 18 years.

Using more than one informant can help a psychologist compare behaviour and functional impact across home, school and social settings. Different ratings are not automatically an error. They may reflect genuine differences between settings, expectations or the information available to each person.

What does Conners 4 explore?

Depending on the form selected, Conners 4 may provide information about:

• inattention and executive functioning difficulties
• hyperactivity and impulsivity
• emotional dysregulation
• depressed mood or anxious thoughts
• school, social and family functioning
• symptoms associated with ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder

Some forms also include indicators or critical items that may flag concerns requiring further clinical follow-up. An elevated score indicates that an area warrants interpretation or further investigation. It does not establish the cause of the difficulty or confirm a diagnosis.

Does Conners 4 diagnose ADHD?

No. Australian clinical guidance states that ADHD should not be diagnosed solely from rating scales or observational information. Rating scales can be valuable alongside a clinical interview, developmental and health history, information about strengths and functional impact, and evidence from more than one setting and reporter.

Conners 4 results may help identify patterns, compare reports and clarify questions for further assessment. They do not by themselves confirm ADHD or another condition, and they do not guarantee treatment, school adjustments, funding or program eligibility.

What can parents expect?

The psychologist decides which form or forms are relevant after considering the referral question and the young person’s age. Parents, educators and young people should answer based on their observations rather than trying to produce matching responses. The psychologist then considers the scores, response patterns, similarities and differences between raters, and other available information.

If you are concerned about attention, impulsivity, activity level or behaviour across settings, book an initial consultation to discuss whether a broader assessment may be appropriate.