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Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II (LESS II)3

Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II (LESS II) Test

With 28 questions and a completion time of about 6 minutes, the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II (LESS II) Test highlights patterns in how you understand, accept, express, and manage emotions, helping you reflect on emotional habits and notice areas that may deserve closer attention in daily life.

Questions: 286 minutes

Leahy Emotional Schema Scale: situation and reply bubbles

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

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Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

BlameB

Measures the tendency to attribute one’s emotions to other people’s actions or inactions rather than to internal factors.

example score5/12

5/12Low blamingexample score

2 – 6Low blaming

7 – 8Moderate blaming

9 – 12High blaming

A score of 5 falls in the Low blaming range, suggesting you generally do not rely on blaming others to explain your emotional experiences.

Low Emotional ExpressionLEE

Measures how strongly a person tends to experience and display emotions with reduced intensity or expressiveness.

example score4/12

4/12Lowexample score

2 – 7Low

8 – 12Elevated

A score of 4 falls in the Low range, suggesting generally typical emotional intensity/expressiveness with minimal indication of muted emotional display.

Emotional NonacceptanceEN

Measures the degree to which a person views certain emotions as unacceptable and tends to avoid or suppress them.

example score8/12

8/12High rejectionexample score

2 – 7Low rejection

8 – 12High rejection

A score of 8 falls in the High rejection range, suggesting a stronger tendency to judge some feelings as unacceptable and to try to push them away rather than allow them.

RuminationR

Measures the tendency to repeatedly dwell on and analyze negative emotions rather than letting them pass.

example score10/12

10/12Highexample score

2 – 7Low

8 – 9Moderate

10 – 12High

A score of 10 falls in the High range, suggesting a strong tendency to return to negative feelings and mentally replay them, which can make emotional recovery slower.

Low ConsensusLC

Low consensus measures the extent to which a person believes their emotional experiences are unique and not shared or understood by others.

example score4/12

4/12Lowexample score

2 – 7Low

8 – 12High

A score of 4 falls in the Low range, suggesting you are less likely to view your emotions as uniquely isolating and may find it easier to feel understood by others.

DurationD

Duration measures the belief that negative emotions will persist for a long time and be slow to pass.

example score6/12

6/12Lowexample score

2 – 6Low

7Moderate

8 – 12High

A score of 6 falls in the Low range, suggesting a relatively limited expectation that negative emotions will last a very long time.

Excessive RationalityER

Measures the tendency to rely on logic and control while minimizing or avoiding emotional experience and expression.

example score8/12

8/12Highexample score

2 – 7Low

8 – 12High

A score of 8 falls in the High range, suggesting a stronger-than-average preference for rational control that may limit emotional openness and full processing of feelings.

Emotional NumbnessEN

Measures the extent to which a person experiences their emotions as absent, muted, or hard to recognize and express.

example score7/12

7/12Low numbnessexample score

2 – 7Low numbness

8 – 12Elevated numbness

A score of 7 indicates low emotional numbness, suggesting emotions are generally present and identifiable, though they may feel muted at times.

Loss of ControlLoC

Measures the belief that emotions must be tightly controlled to prevent them from becoming overwhelming or unmanageable.

example score4/12

4/12Lowexample score

2 – 6Low

7Moderate

8 – 12High

A score of 4 falls in the Low range, suggesting relatively little concern that emotions will spiral out of control if not strictly managed.

DevaluationD

Devaluation measures the extent to which a person believes emotions are unimportant or unrelated to their personal values and needs.

example score6/12

6/12Low devaluationexample score

2 – 6Low devaluation

7 – 8Moderate devaluation

9 – 12High devaluation

A score of 6 suggests low devaluation, meaning you generally see emotions as relevant and potentially informative rather than dismissing them.

Simplistic ViewSV

Measures the tendency to view emotions in an overly simple, one-dimensional way, making it harder to tolerate mixed or conflicting feelings.

example score9/12

9/12Simplified viewexample score

2 – 7Nuanced view

8 – 12Simplified view

A score of 9 suggests a stronger tendency to simplify emotional experiences, which can make complex or mixed feelings feel confusing and easier to avoid.

Guilt And ShameGAS

Measures the degree to which a person associates emotions with personal weakness, leading to guilt/shame and increased self-criticism.

example score5/12

5/12Lowexample score

2 – 7Low

8 – 12Elevated

A score of 5 falls in the Low range, suggesting relatively little tendency to interpret emotions as a sign of weakness or to respond with guilt/shame.

IncomprehensibilityI

Uncertainty measures how confusing, meaningless, or chaotic your emotions feel to you.

example score8/12

8/12High uncertaintyexample score

2 – 7Low uncertainty

8 – 12High uncertainty

A score of 8 falls in the high uncertainty range, suggesting emotions may often feel hard to interpret or make sense of.

InvalidationI

Invalidation measures the extent to which a person believes others do not understand, accept, or value their emotional experiences.

example score8/12

8/12Highexample score

2 – 7Low

8 – 12High

A score of 8 falls in the High range, suggesting a stronger expectation that others will dismiss or misunderstand your feelings, which may make emotional sharing and support-seeking feel less rewarding.

Overall Level of Emotional SchemasOLoES

Measures the overall intensity of emotional schemas, reflecting how strongly beliefs and strategies shape understanding, acceptance, and expression of emotions.

example score138/168

138/168Highexample score

28 – 74Low

75 – 121Moderate

122 – 168High

A score of 138 falls in the High range, suggesting a strong overall influence of maladaptive emotional schemas that may be associated with greater difficulty accepting, making sense of, or expressing emotions.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Therapy clients feeling stuck

41%OF USERS

People in counseling who keep looping in anxiety, shame, or sadness and want to understand the beliefs and habits that maintain those feelings.

CBT therapists and trainees

35%OF USERS

Mental health professionals who use the scale to quickly map emotion-related schemas and plan more targeted interventions.

Self-critical emotion avoiders

24%OF USERS

Individuals who judge their emotions harshly, fear vulnerability, or try to suppress feelings and want a clearer picture of their emotional patterns.

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

AccusationA

You?

Average5.5

Typical rangeTypical4.1 – 6.9

Possible2 – 12

Low Emotional IntensityLEI

You?

Average8.9

Typical rangeTypical7.7 – 10.1

Possible2 – 12

Rejection of FeelingsRoF

You?

Average7.7

Typical rangeTypical6.3 – 9

Possible2 – 12

RuminationR

You?

Average8.9

Typical rangeTypical7.5 – 10.2

Possible2 – 12

Low consensusLc

You?

Average6.6

Typical rangeTypical4.7 – 8.5

Possible2 – 12

DurationD

You?

Average5.2

Typical rangeTypical3.6 – 6.9

Possible2 – 12

Excessive RationalityER

You?

Average6.5

Typical rangeTypical4.8 – 8.2

Possible2 – 12

Emotional numbnessEn

You?

Average5.2

Typical rangeTypical3.7 – 6.8

Possible2 – 12

Loss of ControlLoC

You?

Average9.1

Typical rangeTypical7.9 – 10.4

Possible2 – 12

DevaluationD

You?

Average8

Typical rangeTypical6.4 – 9.5

Possible2 – 12

Simplified ViewSV

You?

Average9.3

Typical rangeTypical7.6 – 11

Possible2 – 12

Guilt and ShameGaS

You?

Average8.8

Typical rangeTypical7.4 – 10.2

Possible2 – 12

UncertaintyU

You?

Average8.9

Typical rangeTypical7.2 – 10.6

Possible2 – 12

InvalidationI

You?

Average5.1

Typical rangeTypical3.8 – 6.4

Possible2 – 12

Overall Level of Emotional SchemasOLoES

You?

Average72.5

Typical rangeTypical49.2 – 95.9

Possible28 – 168

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

It can be helpful to understand how a person copes with different feelings and emotions, such as anger, sadness, anxiety, and sexual desire. People respond to these experiences in different ways; therefore, there are no right or wrong answers. Please read each statement carefully and indicate the extent to which it accurately or inaccurately describes you and how you have managed your feelings over the past month.

- Completely untrue
- Generally untrue
- Not quite true
- Mostly true
- Generally true
- Completely true
- Completely untrue
- Mostly untrue
- Somewhat untrue
- Somewhat true
- Mostly true
- Completely true
- Absolutely untrue
- Generally untrue
- Not quite true
- Mostly true
- Generally true
- Absolutely true

These are 3 of the 28 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II (LESS II) Test - Description and methodology of the test

cbt

schematherapy

People seeking a structured way to examine attitudes toward feelings may use the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II (LESS II) Test as a self-reflection tool. An emotional schema assessment shows whether emotions are treated as acceptable, understandable, shareable, expressible, or difficult to control. The result offers a focused starting point for reflection.

What This Assessment Explores

It examines how a person manages intense, mixed, unclear, or socially difficult feelings. A LESS II questionnaire result highlights acceptance, responsibility, expression, emotional distance, persistence, and perceived understanding. It helps identify beliefs organizing emotional responses.

The displayed dimensions and result bands are:

Blame 2-12 (Low blaming 2-6; Moderate blaming 7-8; High blaming 9-12), Low Emotional Expression 2-12 (Low 2-7; Elevated 8-12), and Emotional Nonacceptance 2-12 (Low rejection 2-7; High rejection 8-12) show responsibility, openness, and acceptance.
Rumination 2-12 (Low 2-7; Moderate 8-9; High 10-12), Low Consensus 2-12 (Low 2-7; High 8-12), and Duration 2-12 (Low 2-6; Moderate 7-7; High 8-12) show repetition, sharedness, and expected persistence.
Excessive Rationality 2-12 (Low 2-7; High 8-12), Emotional Numbness 2-12 (Low numbness 2-7; Elevated numbness 8-12), and Loss of Control 2-12 (Low 2-6; Moderate 7-7; High 8-12) show distance from, expression of, and control over feelings.
Devaluation 2-12 (Low devaluation 2-6; Moderate devaluation 7-8; High devaluation 9-12), Simplistic View 2-12 (Nuanced view 2-7; Simplified view 8-12), and Guilt And Shame 2-12 (Low 2-7; Elevated 8-12) show emotional meaning, complexity, and self-judgment.
Incomprehensibility 2-12 (Low uncertainty 2-7; High uncertainty 8-12), Invalidation 2-12 (Low 2-7; High 8-12), and Overall Level of Emotional Schemas 28-168 (Low 28-74; Moderate 75-121; High 122-168) show emotional clarity, interpersonal recognition, and combined schema severity.

Methodology and Evidence Base

Methodologically, the questionnaire uses six response options ranging from completely untrue to completely true, with slight wording changes across items. Results are presented as schema totals and an overall total; the answer-to-point key is not stated as part of the questionnaire. This structure produces a profile rather than a pass/fail outcome.

The named source instrument is Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II (LESS II), while this online questionnaire is conceptually consistent with Leahy’s model of beliefs about emotions. Batmaz and Özdel (2015) and Salemi-Langroudi et al. (2021) examined Turkish and Iranian versions. Those studies provide evidence about translated forms, not automatic standardization of this administration.

Interpretation should treat the emotional schema profile descriptively. Current mood, self-awareness, and response bias can influence self-report, and the displayed bands are not diagnoses; broader emotional context still matters.

Author: Robert L. Leahy

Literature:

Leahy, R. L. (2012). Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II (LESS II) [Database record]. APA PsycTests. 10.1037/t78788-000
Batmaz, S., & Özdel, K. (2015). Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale-II. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry, 16(Supplement 1), 23-30. 10.5455/apd.170597
Salemi-Langroudi, A., Dobson, K. S., Artounian, V., Ghasemi, M., Kolahkaj, B., Khosravani, V., Shafaghi, M., Bafekr, T., Heidarian, A., Behfar, Z., & Kiani Dehkordi, M. (2021). Psychometric Properties of the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale-II among Iranian Students. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 14(3), 455-472. 10.1007/s41811-021-00111-z
Leahy, R. L. (2002). A model of emotional schemas. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9(3), 177-190. 10.1016/S1077-7229(02)80048-7

Updated: 2025-10-02