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Brief Debt Behavior Questionnaire

Brief Debt Behavior Questionnaire Test

Understand your debt mindset in 3 minutes, from borrowing and lending to repayment responsibility. Fast 14-item snapshot supports screening, counseling, and research by spotting risk patterns early.

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Questions: 143 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

11,805 views

890 completions

771 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

11/20

Disapproval of Lending (DoL)

Measures how willing a person is to lend money to others, reflecting social trust and a helping orientation in debt-related situations.

Cautious lender

Selective lender

Open-handed lender

4 – 9: Cautious lender | 10 – 14: Selective lender | 15 – 20: Open-handed lender

A score of 11 falls in the Selective lender range, suggesting a moderate willingness to lend that depends on the relationship and perceived reliability of repayment.

example score

11/20

Debt Avoidance (DA)

This scale measures a person’s tendency to avoid borrowing versus being willing to take on debt under uncertainty.

Debt-accepting

Balanced

Debt-avoidant

4 – 9: Debt-accepting | 10 – 14: Balanced | 15 – 20: Debt-avoidant

A score of 11 falls in the Balanced range, suggesting a moderate willingness to borrow that depends on context and perceived risk.

example score

20/30

Debt Rationality (DR)

Measures how consistently a person prioritizes timely repayment and plans for fulfilling current or potential debt obligations.

Lower rationality

Moderate rationality

Higher rationality

6 – 14: Lower rationality | 15 – 22: Moderate rationality | 23 – 30: Higher rationality

A score of 20 falls in the Moderate rationality range, suggesting a generally conscientious approach to debt obligations with some variability in consistency across situations.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Loan and credit users

41%OF USERS

People who already borrow money want a quick snapshot of their attitudes toward debt and how reliably they repay in different situations.

Counseling and social service clients

34%OF USERS

Individuals in financial coaching or support programs take it to identify risky patterns and start a focused conversation about repayment habits.

Researchers and program evaluators

25%OF USERS

Survey teams use it as a fast screening tool to segment respondents by borrowing, lending, and responsibility norms in large studies.

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

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

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.

Judging Borrowing (JB)

Average

11.1

Normal range

8.6 — 13.7

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Debt Avoidance (DA)

Average

12.4

Normal range

10.1 — 14.6

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Debt Rationality (DR)

Average

17.5

Normal range

13.9 — 21.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this survey measure?

It measures attitudes and typical behaviors related to borrowing, lending, and repayment. It highlights patterns linked to debt responsibility and potential financial strain.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

Estimated completion time is about 3 minutes. The survey includes 14 questions.

What type of questions are asked?

Items cover comfort with taking on debt, willingness to lend, and reactions to repayment obligations. Some items address informal loans with friends or family.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best matches typical behavior rather than an ideal response. Use the same reference period across items when possible.

How should results be interpreted?

Results describe response patterns and areas that may warrant follow-up. They do not provide a diagnosis or replace a financial or clinical evaluation.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Brief Debt Behavior Questionnaire Test - Symptoms and Signs

financial behavior

In clinical and research contexts, the Brief Debt Behavior Questionnaire provides a brief self-report snapshot of common patterns in borrowing, lending, and repayment behavior. It is intended to support an initial understanding of how an individual typically approaches debt-related decisions and obligations.

Developed by Thomas A. Durkin and Lea S. Hamilton, the measure includes 14 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Results are generally used to inform screening, case formulation, or descriptive research on financial behavior, with interpretation best integrated with relevant contextual information (e.g., current stressors, access to resources, and financial history). The Brief Debt Behavior Questionnaire is not a standalone diagnostic instrument.

Author: Lea S. Hamilton, Thomas A. Durkin

Literature: Norvilitis, J. M., Merwin, M. M., Osberg, T. M., Roehling, P. V., Young, P., & Kamas, M. M. Personality factors, money attitudes, financial knowledge, and credit-card debt in college students. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 2006.

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