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Introduction:  Most behavior checklists for attention problems or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) such as the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) have a narrow range of scores, focusing on the extent to which problems are present. It has been proposed that measuring attention on a continuum, from positive attention skills to attention problems, will add value to our understanding of ADHD and related problems. The Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD symptoms and Normal behavior scale (SWAN) is such a scale. Items of the SWAN are scored on a seven‐point scale, with in the middle ‘average behavior’ and on the extremes ‘far below average’ and ‘far above average’.

Method:  The SWAN and the CBCL were completed by mothers of respectively 560 and 469 12‐year‐old twin pairs. The SWAN consists of nine DSM‐IV items for Attention Deficit (AD) and nine DSM‐IV items for Hyperactivity/Impulsivity …