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Character Traits Questionnaire (CTQ-20)3

Character Traits Questionnaire (CTQ-20) Test

Designed for a quick look at emotional and behavioral tendencies, the Character Traits Questionnaire (CTQ-20) Test contains 20 questions and takes about 4 minutes. Your result outlines patterns such as mood variability, sensitivity, anxiety, activity, orderliness, and expressiveness, offering a useful starting point for self-reflection and understanding your personal profile.

Questions: 204 minutes

Character Traits Questionnaire (CTQ-20): three people around table

October 2, 2025October 2, 2025Material has been updatedOctober 2, 2025Material has been published

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2,130 completions

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Daniel Hall Psychologist · Test reviewer

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Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

CyclothymiaC

Cyclothymia measures the tendency toward mood variability and emotional lability over time.

example score5/10

5/10Moderate variabilityexample score

2 – 4Stable

5 – 7Moderate variability

8 – 10Pronounced swings

A score of 5 suggests moderate mood variability, with occasional shifts in emotional tone without strong instability.

EmotionalityE

Emotiveness measures the depth of feelings, sensitivity, and compassion toward others.

example score6/10

6/10Averageexample score

2 – 4Low

5 – 7Average

8 – 10High

A score of 6 falls in the Average range, suggesting a balanced level of emotional responsiveness and empathy without strong extremes.

ExaltationE

Exaltation reflects the intensity of emotional reactions and the tendency toward enthusiastic, strongly felt experiences.

example score6/10

6/10Moderateexample score

2 – 4Low

5 – 7Moderate

8 – 10High

A score of 6 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a balanced pattern of emotional expressiveness and enthusiasm without pronounced intensity.

AnxietyA

Anxiety measures the tendency to experience fear, insecurity, and persistent worry in response to everyday situations.

example score5/10

5/10Moderateexample score

2 – 4Low

5 – 7Moderate

8 – 10High

A score of 5 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but generally manageable level of worry and caution in new or uncertain situations.

DysthymiaD

Measures the tendency toward sustained low mood, reduced energy, passivity, and social withdrawal as a character accentuation.

example score8/10

8/10Highexample score

2 – 5Low

6 – 7Moderate

8 – 10High

A score of 8 falls in the High range, suggesting a more pronounced tendency toward low mood and withdrawal in everyday behavior.

HyperthymiaH

Hyperthymia measures a person’s typical level of activity, initiative, and cheerfulness.

example score7/10

7/10Moderateexample score

2 – 5Low

6 – 7Moderate

8 – 10High

A score of 7 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting generally good energy and initiative that are expressed in a balanced, situational way.

ExcitabilityE

Excitability reflects impulsivity and the tendency to react with strong, rapidly escalating emotions.

example score6/10

6/10Moderateexample score

2 – 4Low

5 – 7Moderate

8 – 10High

A score of 6 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting generally controlled behavior with occasional impulsive or intense emotional reactions under stress.

PedantryP

Pedantry measures a person’s preference for order, precision, and conscientious adherence to rules and details.

example score8/10

8/10Highexample score

2 – 5Low

6 – 7Moderate

8 – 10High

A score of 8 falls in the High range, suggesting pronounced attention to detail, punctuality, and careful, structured work habits.

PerseverationP

Measures the tendency to ruminate on emotions and grievances, with difficulty letting go and forgiving over time.

example score9/10

9/10Highexample score

2 – 5Low

6 – 8Moderate

9 – 10High

A score of 9 falls in the High range, suggesting a pronounced tendency to dwell on upsetting experiences and hold onto emotional reactions for longer periods.

DemonstrativenessD

Demonstrativeness measures the tendency to express emotions vividly and seek attention or centrality in social situations.

example score8/10

8/10Highexample score

2 – 5Low

6 – 7Moderate

8 – 10High

A score of 8 falls in the High range, suggesting a pronounced preference for expressive, attention-attracting communication and strong emotional display.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Counseling and therapy clients

41%OF USERS

People in counseling take it to quickly pinpoint dominant character traits that may shape emotions, relationships, and coping styles.

Hiring and HR assessments

34%OF USERS

Recruiters and HR teams use it to get a fast, structured snapshot of behavior tendencies relevant to teamwork, reliability, and role fit.

Self-development explorers

25%OF USERS

Individuals curious about themselves use it for a quick profile that highlights their strongest traits and potential blind spots.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Shaded area — where most people score

Dot — the average

You — your score lands on each curve after the test— your score, after the test

CyclothymiaC

You?

Average7.1

Typical rangeTypical6 – 8.1

Possible2 – 10

EmotivenessE

You?

Average6.5

Typical rangeTypical5.1 – 7.8

Possible2 – 10

ExaltationE

You?

Average5.9

Typical rangeTypical4.6 – 7.2

Possible2 – 10

AnxietyA

You?

Average5

Typical rangeTypical3.6 – 6.4

Possible2 – 10

DysthymiaD

You?

Average6.6

Typical rangeTypical5.5 – 7.6

Possible2 – 10

HyperthymiaH

You?

Average7

Typical rangeTypical5.7 – 8.3

Possible2 – 10

ExcitabilityE

You?

Average5

Typical rangeTypical3.9 – 6

Possible2 – 10

PedantryP

You?

Average7.3

Typical rangeTypical5.9 – 8.7

Possible2 – 10

Getting StuckGS

You?

Average5.4

Typical rangeTypical4.1 – 6.8

Possible2 – 10

DemonstrativenessD

You?

Average5.6

Typical rangeTypical4.4 – 6.8

Possible2 – 10

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

You are asked to answer 20 questions designed to assess your personality characteristics. Please think of the most typical situations and provide the first natural response that comes to mind. Respond quickly and accurately. Remember that there are no “bad” or “good” answers. Answer promptly and do not spend too much time on any one question. Your initial reaction is important, rather than prolonged reflection on each question.

- Not true of me
- Somewhat untrue of me
- True of me
- Clearly true of me
- Very true of me
- Not true
- Rather untrue
- True
- Clearly true
- Very clearly true
- Not present
- Probably not present
- Present
- Clearly present
- Very strongly present

These are 3 of the 20 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

Character Traits Questionnaire (CTQ-20) Test - Description and methodology of the test

accentuations

Readers deciding whether to take a self-report questionnaire can use this assessment, which provides a multidimensional profile of several character-related tendencies. The Character Traits Questionnaire (CTQ-20) Test gives them a structured basis for self-reflection rather than a single defining label. Answers are most useful when they describe typical patterns rather than an isolated reaction or unusually difficult day.

What This Assessment Explores

It examines emotional, energetic, expressive, impulsive, and organizational tendencies; this character traits assessment maps these dimensions:

Cyclothymia (2-10) measures mood shifts: Stable 2-4, Moderate variability 5-7, Pronounced swings 8-10. Emotionality (2-10) reflects depth, sensitivity, compassion: Low 2-4, Average 5-7, High 8-10.
Exaltation (2-10) captures intense enthusiasm. Anxiety (2-10) reflects fear and worry. Both: Low 2-4, Moderate 5-7, High 8-10.
Dysthymia (2-10), Hyperthymia (2-10), Pedantry (2-10), and Demonstrativeness (2-10) respectively measure low mood, passivity, withdrawal; activity, initiative, cheerfulness; orderliness, caution; expressiveness, attention seeking. All: Low 2-5, Moderate 6-7, High 8-10.
Excitability (2-10) reflects impulsive intensity: Low 2-4, Moderate 5-7, High 8-10. Perseveration (2-10) reflects persistent emotions, resentments, difficulty forgiving: Low 2-5, Moderate 6-8, High 9-10.

Methodology and Scientific Basis

Each item is a self-report statement rated on five points, moving from a low or absent indication to an increasingly clear, strong, or pronounced indication. The items address organizing behavior, sensitivity, fear, mood changes, attention seeking, anger, activity, and persistence, linking concrete situations with broader patterns in the resulting profile. Respondents should compare each statement with their usual pattern rather than an isolated event.

The questionnaire is conceptually consistent with the Schmieschek Questionnaire (Schmieschek, 1970), and its dimensions correspond to Leonhard’s theory of accentuated personalities. Littmann and Schmieschek (1977) support the relevance of shortened questionnaires for identifying accentuated tendencies, while Rada and Ispas (2016) provide an applied example of the framework, not validation of this form.

The scoring display converts responses into profile results, but the form does not specify the response-to-score conversion or provide normative samples, reliability estimates, or clinical cutoffs. This personality profile test is therefore best interpreted by looking for converging themes across dimensions. Self-report can be influenced by mood, self-awareness, and impression management, so the result describes present responses rather than proving a fixed character structure.

Author: Lewis R. Goldberg, Raymond B. Cattell

Literature:

Schmieschek, H. (1970). Questionnaire for the Determination of Accentuated Personalities. Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie, 22(10), 378-381.
Leonhard, K. (1968). Accentuated Personalities. Berlin: Verlag Volk und Gesundheit.
Littmann, E., & Schmieschek, H. G. (1977). Usefulness of Shortened Questionnaires for Detection of Accentuated Personalities. Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie, 29(1), 49-55.
Rada, C., & Ispas, A. T. (2016). Alcohol consumption and accentuated personality traits among young adults in Romania: a cross-sectional study. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 11, Article 36. 10.1186/s13011-016-0080-3

Updated: 2025-10-02