Existential Motivations Test

See how your core motivations shape your choices and wellbeing in about 11 minutes. Get clear, actionable insight into meaning and inner blocks to guide coaching or personal growth.

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Questions: 5611 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

29,141 view

3,775 completions

3,059 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

53/84

Meaning in Life (MiL)

Measures how effectively a person finds, experiences, and fulfills meaning by linking inner values with the demands of real-life situations.

Low meaning clarity

Moderate meaning focus

Strong meaning realization

14 – 37: Low meaning clarity | 38 – 60: Moderate meaning focus | 61 – 84: Strong meaning realization

A score of 53 falls in the Moderate meaning focus range, suggesting a generally workable sense of meaning with some areas where clarity and follow-through may vary by situation.

example score

61/84

Self-Worth (SW)

Measures the ability to maintain a stable sense of self, protect personal boundaries, and make value-based decisions with internal support.

Low

Moderate

High

14 – 37: Low | 38 – 60: Moderate | 61 – 84: High

A score of 61 falls in the High range, suggesting a relatively mature sense of self-worth and an ability to act in line with personal values while respecting oneself and others.

example score

77/84

Fundamental Value (FV)

Measures how strongly a person experiences life as meaningful and value-filled, with emotional responsiveness to events.

Low

Moderate

High

14 – 37: Low | 38 – 60: Moderate | 61 – 84: High

A score of 77 falls in the High range, suggesting a strong sense of lived values and emotionally engaged experience of life.

example score

71/84

Fundamental Trust (FT)

Assesses the capacity to accept life’s conditions, tolerate anxiety and limitations, and stay actively engaged with oneself and the world.

Low trust

Moderate trust

High trust

14 – 37: Low trust | 38 – 60: Moderate trust | 61 – 84: High trust

A score of 71 falls in the High trust range, suggesting a generally strong ability to accept circumstances, manage uncertainty, and act with confidence.

example score

154/336

Overall Score (OS)

Measures overall existential fulfillment and harmony with core existential themes such as meaning, freedom, responsibility, and inner alignment.

Lower fulfillment

Moderate fulfillment

Higher fulfillment

56 – 149: Lower fulfillment | 150 – 242: Moderate fulfillment | 243 – 336: Higher fulfillment

A score of 154 falls in the Moderate fulfillment range, suggesting a somewhat developed sense of existential meaning and responsibility with room for greater inner harmony and alignment.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Meaning-seekers in transition

41%OF USERS

People facing a life change (breakup, relocation, career shift) take it to clarify what truly motivates them and what feels missing.

Clients in therapy or coaching

34%OF USERS

People already working on themselves use it to put words and structure to deeper needs that drive anxiety, apathy, or stuckness.

Helping professionals and students

25%OF USERS

Psychologists, coaches, and trainees take it for self-reflection and to better understand the existential themes they see in others.

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.

The Meaning of Life (TMoL)

Average

39.4

Normal range

30.4 — 48.4

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.

Self-worth (S)

Average

31.8

Normal range

20.4 — 43.1

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.

Fundamental value (Fv)

Average

51.9

Normal range

40.7 — 63.2

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.

Fundamental Trust (FT)

Average

56.8

Normal range

43.6 — 70

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.

Overall TEM Score (OTS)

Average

174.8

Normal range

128.1 — 221.5

min.

max.

336

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 questionnaire measure?

It assesses four foundational existential motivations that shape personal meaning, inner stability, and life direction. Results summarize how developed and balanced these motivations appear based on self-report.

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

Estimated completion time is about 11 minutes. The questionnaire contains 56 items.

What instructions should be followed when responding?

Answer each item based on typical experience rather than rare exceptions. Use the first response that seems accurate and avoid overanalyzing wording.

How should results be interpreted?

Scores indicate relative strengths and possible gaps across the four motivation domains. Interpretation is most useful when combined with clinical or coaching context rather than used as a stand-alone conclusion.

Are the scoring keys fully established for the online scoring method?

Official scoring keys for the original instrument have not been published in full. Online scoring is based on assumed item-to-scale assignments and should be treated as preliminary.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Existential Motivations Test - Symptoms and Signs

existential psychology fulfillment

This measure is designed to assess core existential themes that may relate to perceived meaning, inner consent, and quality of life. The Existential Motivations Test is intended to provide a brief, structured snapshot of how an individual experiences foundational motivational domains in daily living. It consists of 56 items and typically takes about 11 minutes to complete.

Items are self-report statements rated by the respondent and are commonly interpreted in terms of several broad motivational dimensions described in the existential-analytic literature (Alfried Längle). Results are generally used to inform clinical formulation and goal setting by identifying areas of relative strength and potential internal conflict. Interpretation of the Existential Motivations Test should be integrated with clinical interview data and other assessment information, particularly when scoring keys or scale mappings are uncertain in a given administration context.

Author: Alfried Längle

Literature: Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist. 2000.; Längle, A., & Eckhardt, P. Skalen zur Erfassung existentieller Motivation, Selbstwert und Sinnerleben. Existenzanalyse. 2001.

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