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Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ)3

Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) Test

Understand feelings of burdensomeness and isolation linked to suicide risk in about 3 minutes. Fast, evidence-based screening that helps clinicians target prevention and support early.

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Questions: 123 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

16,073 views

1,551 completion

1,251 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

18/42

Perceived Thwarted Belongingness (PTB)

Measures the extent of perceived social isolation and lack of belonging or support from significant others.

Low

Moderate

High

6 – 17: Low | 18 – 29: Moderate | 30 – 42: High

A score of 18 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme experience of loneliness or reduced sense of belonging.

example score

38/42

Perceived Burdensomeness (PB)

Measures the extent to which a person feels they are a burden or unnecessary to others.

Low

Moderate

High

6 – 17: Low | 18 – 29: Moderate | 30 – 42: High

A score of 38 falls in the High range, indicating a strong tendency to perceive oneself as a burden to others.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People feeling like a burden

41%OF USERS

They take it to understand whether self-blame and feeling “better off gone” are shaping their current distress.

Those struggling with loneliness

34%OF USERS

They use it to check how strongly social disconnection and lack of belonging are affecting their wellbeing.

Clinicians and researchers

25%OF USERS

They administer it as a quick screen to identify interpersonal risk factors related to suicidal thoughts in clients or study participants.

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.

Feeling Abandoned (FA)

Average

30.8

Normal range

24.7 — 36.9

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.

Perceiving Yourself as a Burden (PYaaB)

Average

15.5

Normal range

10.5 — 20.4

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.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

When answering each question, please rely on your own opinions and experiences rather than on commonly held views or what may have been true for other people. Select the response option that best reflects how you feel. There are no right or wrong answers; the focus is on what you think and feel.

- Completely untrue
- Not true
- Mostly untrue
- Partly true
- Mostly true
- True
- Completely true
- Completely untrue
- Untrue
- Mostly untrue
- Partly true
- Mostly true
- True
- Completely true
- Not at all true
- Not true
- Mostly not true
- Partly true
- Mostly true
- True
- Very true

These are 3 of the 12 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

Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) Test - Symptoms and Signs

social alienation

suicidal risk

In clinical and research contexts, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) is used to assess interpersonal perceptions that are commonly examined in relation to suicide risk. It focuses on self-reported feelings of perceived burdensomeness and social disconnection, consistent with contemporary interpersonal models.

Developed by Kimberly A. Van Orden, the measure includes 12 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Items are rated using a Likert-type response format to quantify current levels of these interpersonal needs. Results from the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) are generally interpreted as dimensional indicators that can inform case formulation and monitoring over time, rather than serving as a stand-alone diagnostic tool.

Author: Kimberly A. Van Orden, Thomas E. Joiner

Literature: Klonsky, E. D., May, A. M., & Saffer, B. Y. Suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 2016.; Van Orden, K. A., Cukrowicz, K. C., Witte, T. K., & Joiner, T. E. Thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness: Construct validity and psychometric properties of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire. Psychological Assessment. 2012.