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Index of Autonomous Functioning (IAF)3

Index of Autonomous Functioning (IAF) Test

Understand how in control you feel of your choices and actions in just 3 minutes. Get clear, practical insights to support coaching, counseling, and stronger emotional resilience.

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Questions: 153 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

20,789 views

2,506 completions

2,037 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

3/5

Susceptibility to Control (StC)

Measures how strongly a person tends to be guided by external or internal pressure rather than self-directed choice.

Low susceptibility

Moderate susceptibility

High susceptibility

1 – 2.4: Low susceptibility | 2.5 – 3.5: Moderate susceptibility | 3.6 – 5: High susceptibility

A score of 3 indicates a moderate tendency to be influenced by pressure or expectations, with a generally balanced level of personal initiative.

example score

3/5

Interest (I)

Interest measures openness to reflecting on one’s experiences and attentiveness to internal and external events that support mindfulness and self-regulation.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2.4: Low | 2.5 – 3.5: Moderate | 3.6 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate level of interest, suggesting a generally steady but not consistently strong tendency to notice and reflect on experiences.

example score

3/5

Authorship (A)

Authorship (self-congruence) measures how strongly a person experiences their actions and choices as aligned with their own values and beliefs.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2.3: Low | 2.4 – 3.6: Moderate | 3.7 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate sense of authorship, suggesting your actions are sometimes aligned with your values, with room for greater consistency across situations.

example score

4/5

Autonomous Functioning Index (AFI)

Measures overall personal autonomy, including acting in line with one’s values and interests while resisting external control.

Lower autonomy

Moderate autonomy

Higher autonomy

1 – 2.4: Lower autonomy | 2.5 – 3.6: Moderate autonomy | 3.7 – 5: Higher autonomy

A score of 4 falls in the Higher autonomy range, suggesting a strong tendency to make choices that feel self-congruent and internally motivated rather than driven by external pressure.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Coaching and therapy clients

41%OF USERS

People working with a counselor or coach take it to see how much their choices match their values versus pressure from others.

Burnout and stress strugglers

34%OF USERS

Those feeling drained or overwhelmed use it to check whether they still feel in control of decisions and daily actions.

Motivation and growth seekers

25%OF USERS

Self-improvement minded people take it to understand what drives them and how to strengthen independent, satisfying decision-making.

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.

Susceptibility to control (Stc)

Average

2.9

Normal range

2.3 — 3.5

min.

max.

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.

Interest (I)

Average

2.9

Normal range

2.4 — 3.4

min.

max.

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.

Authorship (A)

Average

2.9

Normal range

2.2 — 3.7

min.

max.

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.

Index of Autonomous Functioning (IoAF)

Average

Normal range

3.3 — 4.7

min.

max.

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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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

This questionnaire contains a series of statements. Please indicate the extent to which each statement accurately reflects your overall life experience. There are no right or wrong answers. Please respond based on how well each statement reflects your actual life experience, rather than how you think it should be.

- Not at all true
- Mostly untrue
- Somewhat true
- Mostly true
- Completely true
- Completely untrue
- Mostly untrue
- Somewhat true
- Mostly true
- Completely true
- Completely untrue
- Mostly untrue
- Somewhat true
- Mostly true
- Completely true

These are 3 of the 15 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

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WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Index of Autonomous Functioning (IAF) Test - Symptoms and Signs

autonomy

existential psychology

self-determination

This measure assesses perceived autonomy in decision-making and behavior. The Index of Autonomous Functioning (IAF) is a brief self-report instrument designed to capture the extent to which an individual experiences actions as self-endorsed versus externally driven.

The content is conceptually aligned with self-determination theory and focuses on three facets of autonomy: authorship/self-congruence (acting in accordance with personal values), interest (engagement and enjoyment in one’s choices), and low susceptibility to external control (relative independence from pressure or manipulation). It consists of 15 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete.

In clinical and applied settings, the Index of Autonomous Functioning (IAF) may be used to support case formulation and to monitor perceived autonomy over time in counseling, psychotherapy, or coaching contexts, without serving as a standalone diagnostic tool.

Author: Edward L. Deci, Richard M. Ryan

Literature: Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. Self-determination theory: A macrotheory of human motivation, development, and health. Canadian Psychology. 2008.; Weinstein, N., Przybylski, A. K., & Ryan, R. M. The index of autonomous functioning: Development of a scale of human autonomy. Journal of Research in Personality. 2012.