Glossary of Psychological Tests & Scales

Psychological tests and scales are structured instruments designed to measure specific psychological constructs — traits, symptoms, capacities, and response patterns — with sufficient reliability and validity to support clinical, research, and evaluative applications. They vary substantially in format, scope, and theoretical grounding: some are self-report inventories, others are clinician-administered structured interviews, and others are performance-based or projective tasks. Each produces a different kind of data and carries different interpretive constraints.

Understanding a test requires understanding what it measures, what it does not measure, and the conditions under which its results are valid. Tests do not produce direct access to psychological reality — they produce structured samples of behavior or self-report from which inferences are drawn. The quality of those inferences depends on the psychometric properties of the instrument, the conditions of administration, and the interpretive framework applied to the results.

This glossary defines each instrument at the level of its structure, scope, and appropriate use. Several entries reference structural models within Psychological Architecture — including the Self-Perception Map, the Emotional Maturity Index, and the Emotional Avoidance Loop — where those models provide relevant theoretical context for what the instrument measures. Readers interested in the broader framework may wish to explore Psychological Architecture at profrjstarr.com/psychological-architecture.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Questionnaire

A 10-item screening tool developed by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente to assess early exposure to potentially traumatic experiences — including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Higher ACE scores are associated with elevated risk for physical and mental health difficulties across the lifespan. The ACE does not produce a diagnosis; it documents environmental exposure and provides a basis for understanding how early conditions shape later functioning.

See also: Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ)

Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ)

A self-report measure that assesses how individuals relate to others in close relationships. It evaluates patterns including secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment. The ASQ is used in both research and clinical contexts to examine relational dispositions and the regulatory functions they serve.

See also: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)

Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)

A 21-item self-report scale measuring the severity of anxiety symptoms, with particular emphasis on physiological indicators such as palpitations, dizziness, and shortness of breath. The BAI's focus on somatic symptoms makes it useful for differentiating anxiety from depressive presentations in which physiological activation is less prominent.

See also: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)

Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)

One of the most widely used self-report measures for assessing the presence and severity of depressive symptoms. The BDI consists of 21 items evaluating mood, motivation, sleep, appetite, and self-perception. It is used in both clinical and research contexts as a baseline measure and as a tool for tracking symptom change over the course of treatment.

See also: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)

Big Five Inventory (BFI)

A personality assessment that evaluates individuals across five empirically derived trait dimensions: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The Big Five model uses dimensional rather than categorical measurement, placing individuals along continua rather than into discrete types. It is supported by substantial cross-cultural research and is generally considered the most empirically grounded framework for personality assessment currently in wide use.

See also: NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Brief Resilience Scale (BRS)

A 6-item self-report instrument designed to measure the capacity to recover from stress. The BRS is not a measure of stress resistance or coping strategy — it specifically targets the recovery dimension of resilience: the ability to return to functional baseline following disruption. It is used in workplace, clinical, and trauma recovery contexts.

See also: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS)

Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)

A 28-item self-report inventory assessing five types of childhood maltreatment: emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect. Unlike the ACE Questionnaire, which documents exposure, the CTQ also captures frequency and intensity of experiences. It is used in both research and clinical contexts to provide a more granular picture of trauma history.

See also: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Questionnaire, Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI-2)

Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)

A structured interview and questionnaire designed to assess the severity and specificity of suicidal ideation and the nature of any suicidal behavior. The C-SSRS provides a standardized framework for risk conversations and helps clinicians make consistent, documentable assessments. It is used across clinical, emergency, and research settings.

See also: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5)

Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS)

A 48-item self-report instrument that categorizes coping responses into three primary styles: task-oriented (addressing the problem directly), emotion-oriented (managing the affective response), and avoidance-oriented (disengaging from the stressor). The CISS is used to characterize how individuals habitually respond to stress rather than simply whether they experience it.

See also: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)

Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES)

A self-report screening tool that assesses the presence and frequency of dissociative symptoms, including depersonalization, derealization, and amnesia. The DES does not produce a diagnosis independently but identifies individuals who may warrant further evaluation for dissociative or trauma-related disorders. Dissociative symptoms frequently emerge as regulatory responses to overwhelming experience — the Emotional Avoidance Loop describes the structural mechanism through which avoidance of internal states, including through dissociative processes, becomes self-reinforcing (profrjstarr.com/emotional-avoidance-loop).

See also: Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI-2), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)

Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26)

A 26-item screening tool for identifying symptoms and risk factors associated with eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The EAT-26 evaluates attitudes, behaviors, and concerns related to food, weight, and body image. It functions as a screening instrument rather than a diagnostic tool and is used to identify individuals who may benefit from clinical evaluation.

See also: SCL-90-R (Symptom Checklist-90-Revised)

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)

A 10-item self-report screening tool used to identify postnatal depression in new parents. The EPDS covers mood, anxiety, and self-critical cognition during the weeks following childbirth. It is widely administered in obstetric and pediatric primary care settings and is valued for its brevity and accessibility.

See also: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)

A brief scale assessing two primary strategies for managing emotional experience: cognitive reappraisal, which involves reinterpreting the meaning of a situation to alter its emotional impact, and expressive suppression, which involves inhibiting the outward expression of emotion. The ERQ is used in research on mood disorders, stress, and personality. The Emotional Maturity Index, a structural model within Psychological Architecture, provides an account of how regulatory capacity develops and functions across different levels of emotional differentiation (profrjstarr.com/emotional-maturity-index).

See also: Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7)

A 7-item self-report questionnaire used to screen for generalized anxiety disorder and assess symptom severity. The GAD-7 is fast to administer, widely used in primary care and mental health settings, and useful for tracking change over time. Its brevity makes it practical for routine screening without the depth of a full clinical interview.

See also: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)

Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)

One of the earliest clinical rating scales developed to quantify anxiety symptom severity. The HAM-A evaluates both psychic symptoms (tension, fear, cognitive disruption) and somatic symptoms (cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal). It is administered by a clinician rather than self-reported, making it useful in contexts where structured clinical observation is required.

See also: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), GAD-7, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)

Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)

A clinician-administered rating scale that assesses the severity of depressive symptoms through structured interview and behavioral observation. Unlike self-report depression measures, the HAM-D incorporates the clinician's direct assessment of observable symptoms, providing a perspective that self-report alone cannot capture. It is widely used in clinical trials and treatment evaluation.

See also: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ)

A multi-part trauma assessment originally developed for use with refugee populations and survivors of mass violence. The HTQ assesses exposure to traumatic events and evaluates PTSD symptom severity. It has been translated into numerous languages and adapted for diverse cultural contexts, making it one of the more cross-culturally applicable trauma measures available.

See also: PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Questionnaire

Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)

A multidimensional self-report measure of empathy that distinguishes between affective and cognitive components. The IRI assesses four constructs: perspective-taking, fantasy (the tendency to imaginatively transpose oneself into fictional scenarios), empathic concern, and personal distress. It is widely used in research on social cognition, prosocial behavior, and clinical populations.

See also: Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS)

Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG)

A self-report tool used to assess symptoms of prolonged or dysfunctional grief responses. The ICG measures constructs such as difficulty accepting the loss, persistent preoccupation with the deceased, numbness, and functional impairment. It is used to identify presentations where grief has not followed an integrative trajectory and may benefit from targeted clinical attention.

See also: Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI-2), SCL-90-R (Symptom Checklist-90-Revised)

Iowa Gambling Task (IGT)

A behavioral decision-making paradigm in which participants select cards from four decks with varying reward and penalty structures. Advantageous performance requires learning over time to favor decks with lower immediate rewards but better long-term outcomes. The IGT is used in neuropsychological research to assess decision-making under uncertainty, risk-taking tendencies, and executive function, including in populations with substance use disorders, frontal lobe dysfunction, and personality disorders.

See also: Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI), Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)

Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC)

A clinical instrument assessing cognitive development in children ages 3 to 18. The KABC emphasizes information-processing style over accumulated knowledge, evaluating sequential and simultaneous processing, learning ability, planning, and knowledge. This emphasis makes it particularly useful across linguistic and cultural contexts where knowledge-based assessments may introduce systematic disadvantage.

See also: Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Raven's Progressive Matrices

Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS)

A 24-item clinician-administered scale that assesses both fear and avoidance across a range of social and performance situations. The LSAS covers scenarios including public speaking, eating in public, and interacting with unfamiliar people. It is used in research on social anxiety disorder and as a treatment outcome measure.

See also: GAD-7, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)

Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale

A measure of the tendency to respond to questionnaire items in socially acceptable ways rather than accurately. Social desirability responding reflects both conscious impression management and an unconscious orientation toward presenting a favorable self-image. The Marlowe-Crowne scale is used as a validity check alongside other self-report instruments to identify and statistically control for response bias.

See also: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)

The most widely used instrument for measuring occupational burnout. The MBI assesses three dimensions: emotional exhaustion (depletion of emotional resources), depersonalization (development of detached or cynical attitudes toward work), and reduced personal accomplishment (declining sense of competence and achievement). It has been validated across a wide range of professional contexts and is the standard measure in burnout research.

See also: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS)

Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI)

A comprehensive self-report instrument aligned with DSM diagnostic criteria that assesses personality disorders and clinical syndromes in adults. The MCMI is designed to identify both the enduring personality patterns and the more acute clinical conditions that may be present simultaneously. It is used in diagnostic clarification, treatment planning, and forensic evaluation.

See also: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)

One of the most extensively researched and widely used personality and psychopathology assessments in existence. The MMPI-2 evaluates a broad range of clinical syndromes and personality characteristics across 567 true-false items. Critically, it includes validity scales that detect inconsistent responding, exaggeration of symptoms, and defensiveness — making it useful in contexts where response accuracy cannot be assumed, including forensic and high-stakes assessment settings.

See also: Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI), Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

A widely used personality typology that categorizes individuals into 16 types based on reported preferences across four dichotomies: extraversion-introversion, sensing-intuition, thinking-feeling, and judging-perceiving. The MBTI is extensively used in career counseling and organizational development. Its scientific standing is debated — the dichotomous type structure does not align with the continuous trait distributions found in personality research, and test-retest reliability is limited.

See also: Big Five Inventory (BFI), NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R)

NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R)

A comprehensive psychometric assessment of the Big Five personality traits — neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness — at both the domain and facet level. The NEO-PI-R is more granular than the BFI, breaking each domain into six facets, and is widely used in research and clinical personality assessment. It is considered more empirically grounded than typological instruments.

See also: Big Five Inventory (BFI), Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Parenting Stress Index (PSI)

A self-report instrument that measures stress in the parent-child system across two domains: parent characteristics (including competence, social isolation, and health) and child characteristics (including demandingness, mood, and adaptability). The PSI is used to identify families at elevated risk and to guide intervention planning for both parent wellbeing and child development.

See also: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale

Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

A 9-item self-report depression screener widely used in primary care and mental health settings. The PHQ-9 maps directly onto DSM criteria for major depressive disorder and assesses both symptom severity and functional impairment. It includes a final item addressing thoughts of self-harm or death. Its brevity and diagnostic alignment make it one of the most commonly administered depression measures in routine clinical practice.

See also: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)

A 10-item self-report measure assessing the degree to which life circumstances are appraised as stressful. The PSS focuses on subjective experience — feelings of unpredictability, lack of control, and overwhelm — rather than enumerating specific stressful events. It is among the most widely used measures of psychological stress in research.

See also: Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS)

Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

A self-administered inventory assessing psychopathology and personality traits across 22 non-overlapping scales. The PAI includes validity indicators and covers clinical conditions, treatment considerations, interpersonal style, and risk factors. It is used for diagnostic clarification, treatment planning, and forensic evaluation, and is considered a psychometrically strong alternative to the MMPI-2 for many clinical applications.

See also: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI)

PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)

A 20-item self-report instrument assessing the presence and severity of PTSD symptoms corresponding to DSM-5 criteria: intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. The PCL-5 is used for screening, provisional diagnosis, and treatment monitoring in both clinical and research settings.

See also: Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI-2), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES)

Raven's Progressive Matrices

A non-verbal assessment of abstract reasoning and fluid intelligence in which respondents identify the missing element in a visual pattern matrix. The non-verbal format minimizes the influence of language and culturally specific knowledge, making Raven's one of the most widely used measures for cross-cultural cognitive assessment. It is considered a strong measure of fluid intelligence — the capacity to reason in novel situations independent of prior learning.

See also: Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC)

Reiss Motivation Profile

A psychological instrument that identifies 16 basic desires proposed to underlie human motivation — including acceptance, curiosity, independence, power, and social contact. The profile is used in coaching and leadership development contexts to characterize an individual's motivational structure. Its theoretical basis is distinct from need-hierarchy models; it proposes a flat array of independent basic desires rather than a hierarchical arrangement.

See also: Big Five Inventory (BFI), Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale

A 10-item self-report measure of global self-worth. The Rosenberg scale assesses overall self-acceptance rather than domain-specific self-concept, and is among the most frequently used instruments in psychological research. Its brevity and validity across populations have made it a standard baseline measure for studies involving self-concept, identity, and psychological wellbeing. The Self-Perception Map, a structural model within Psychological Architecture, describes the layered processes through which self-concept is constructed and maintained beyond what global self-esteem measures capture (profrjstarr.com/self-perception-map).

See also: Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS)

Rorschach Inkblot Test

A projective assessment in which respondents describe what they perceive in a series of standardized inkblot images. Responses are analyzed for content, location, determinants (such as color or movement), and organizational quality. The Rorschach is used in psychodynamic and forensic contexts and remains controversial — its empirical validity and inter-rater reliability vary substantially depending on the scoring system used.

See also: Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB)

Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB)

A projective technique in which respondents complete a series of open-ended sentence stems. The content of responses is analyzed to identify underlying concerns, relational patterns, and affective themes. The RISB is used in counseling and personality assessment, particularly in settings where standardized self-report instruments may not adequately capture the individual's inner experience.

See also: Rorschach Inkblot Test, Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

SCL-90-R (Symptom Checklist-90-Revised)

A 90-item self-report inventory that evaluates a broad range of psychological symptoms and distress across nine primary dimensions: somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism. The SCL-90-R also yields three global indices of distress. It is used for baseline assessment, treatment planning, and outcome measurement.

See also: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

Self-Compassion Scale (SCS)

A self-report measure developed by Kristin Neff to assess three paired dimensions of self-compassion: self-kindness versus self-judgment, common humanity versus isolation, and mindfulness versus over-identification. The SCS is used in research on psychological wellbeing, resilience, and the relationship between self-concept and emotional regulation.

See also: Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale

Sensory Profile

A standardized assessment of how individuals process and respond to sensory input across multiple modalities — auditory, visual, tactile, movement, and taste-smell. The Sensory Profile is used primarily with children and is particularly relevant in evaluations for autism spectrum conditions and sensory processing disorders. It maps an individual's sensory thresholds and response patterns to inform environmental and therapeutic planning.

See also: Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale

Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ)

A 40-item parent-report screening tool used to identify features of autism spectrum disorder in children. The SCQ evaluates reciprocal social interaction, communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. It is used as a brief initial screen to determine whether more comprehensive diagnostic evaluation is warranted.

See also: Sensory Profile, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS)

A multi-informant rating system used to assess social skills, problem behaviors, and academic competence in children and adolescents. Versions exist for teachers, parents, and students, allowing comparison across contexts. The SSIS is used in school psychology to guide the development of behavioral interventions and social skills programming.

See also: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales

A comprehensive individually administered assessment of cognitive abilities derived from the original Binet-Simon scales. The current edition evaluates five cognitive domains: fluid reasoning, knowledge, quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial processing, and working memory. The Stanford-Binet is used across the lifespan for cognitive assessment, educational planning, and identification of both intellectual disability and giftedness.

See also: Raven's Progressive Matrices, Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC)

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)

A widely used self-report instrument that distinguishes between state anxiety — a transient emotional response to a specific situation — and trait anxiety — a stable disposition to experience anxiety across situations. The distinction has clinical utility: state anxiety indicates situational reactivity, while trait anxiety indicates baseline vulnerability. The STAI is used in both research and clinical assessment.

See also: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), GAD-7, Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ)

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

A brief behavioral screening questionnaire for children and adolescents covering five dimensions: emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity-inattention, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behavior. Versions are available for parents, teachers, and self-report. The SDQ is used in epidemiological research, clinical screening, and as a treatment outcome measure.

See also: Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale, Parenting Stress Index (PSI)

Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5)

A semi-structured diagnostic interview administered by trained clinicians to assess and diagnose major mental disorders according to DSM-5 criteria. The SCID-5 is considered the gold standard for psychiatric diagnosis in research settings and is widely used in clinical practice when diagnostic precision is required. Its structured format ensures systematic coverage of diagnostic criteria and reduces the variability inherent in unstructured interviews.

See also: Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI), Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective technique in which respondents construct narratives in response to a series of ambiguous pictorial stimuli. The stories are interpreted to identify underlying motivational themes, relational patterns, defenses, and personality characteristics. The TAT is used in psychodynamic therapy and research; its reliability and validity depend substantially on the interpretive framework and training of the examiner.

See also: Rorschach Inkblot Test, Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB)

Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI-2)

A comprehensive self-report instrument assessing post-traumatic stress and its psychological sequelae in adults. The TSI-2 evaluates symptoms across multiple domains including intrusive experiences, defensive avoidance, dissociation, dysfunctional sexual behavior, impaired self-reference, and tension reduction behaviors. It is used in clinical settings to characterize the full range of trauma-related disturbance beyond the PTSD symptom cluster.

See also: PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)

Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale

A multi-informant rating scale used by parents and teachers to screen children for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and co-occurring conditions including oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety, and depression. The Vanderbilt assesses both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptom domains alongside academic performance and behavioral functioning, and is used to guide referrals and inform treatment planning.

See also: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), Sensory Profile