Error-Making Questionnaire Test

In about 10 minutes, uncover thinking traps that can fuel anxiety or depression. Get a fast, objective snapshot of key distortions to guide treatment and track progress over time.

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Questions: 5010 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

23,465 views

2,387 completions

1,905 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

18/20

Yes, But... (YB)

Measures how strongly a person tends to respond to positives with a “yes, but…” counterpoint that highlights negatives or justifies negative outcomes.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 6: Low | 7 – 13: Moderate | 14 – 20: High

A score of 18 falls in the High range, suggesting a frequent tendency to discount positives by focusing on drawbacks or exceptions.

example score

13/20

Must Statements (MS)

Measures the tendency to hold rigid, absolute “must/should” demands toward oneself that can increase inner pressure and guilt.

Flexible demands

Elevated pressure

Rigid demands

0 – 6: Flexible demands | 7 – 13: Elevated pressure | 14 – 20: Rigid demands

A score of 13 suggests an elevated tendency to use self-directed “must” statements, which may heighten internal tension in stressful situations.

example score

6/20

What If (WI)

Measures how often a person engages in hypothetical “what if…” worry that amplifies anxiety about unlikely problems.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 6: Low | 7 – 13: Moderate | 14 – 20: High

A score of 6 falls in the Low range, suggesting “what if…” worry is present but typically not a dominant thinking pattern.

example score

13/20

Painful Comparison (PC)

Measures how strongly a person tends to compare themselves unfavorably to others or internalize negative judgments.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 6: Low | 7 – 13: Moderate | 14 – 20: High

A score of 13 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting painful comparisons occur fairly often and may affect confidence in some situations.

example score

3/20

Perfectionism (P)

Measures the tendency to set unrealistically high standards and pursue perfection in thinking and self-evaluation.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 6: Low | 7 – 13: Moderate | 14 – 20: High

A score of 3 falls in the Low range, suggesting perfectionistic all-or-nothing standards are relatively infrequent for you in this assessment.

example score

10/20

Trust in Critics (TiC)

Measures the tendency to accept criticism automatically without evaluating its accuracy or usefulness.

Balanced

Somewhat trusting

Highly trusting

0 – 6: Balanced | 7 – 13: Somewhat trusting | 14 – 20: Highly trusting

A score of 10 falls in the “Somewhat trusting” range, suggesting you may sometimes take criticism at face value and benefit from pausing to check its relevance and evidence.

example score

15/20

Trust in One's Spokesperson (TiOS)

Measures the tendency to overgeneralize success by assuming achievements in one area guarantee success in others without additional effort.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 6: Low | 7 – 13: Moderate | 14 – 20: High

A score of 15 falls in the High range, suggesting you often lean toward assuming past wins will carry over to new domains without extra preparation.

example score

7/20

Personalization (P)

Measures how often a person tends to interpret events as being caused by or directed at them, taking responsibility even when factors are outside their control.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 6: Low | 7 – 13: Moderate | 14 – 20: High

A score of 7 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not pervasive tendency to take some situations personally and feel undue responsibility.

example score

8/20

Mind Reading (MR)

Measures how often you assume you know what others think or expect others to infer your needs without clear communication.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 6: Low | 7 – 13: Moderate | 14 – 20: High

A score of 8 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting mind-reading assumptions show up sometimes and may occasionally complicate communication.

example score

15/20

Chicken Little Syndrome (CLS)

Measures the tendency to catastrophize and exaggerate danger based on minor events.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 6: Low | 7 – 13: Moderate | 14 – 20: High

A score of 15 falls in the High range, suggesting frequent catastrophic interpretations and heightened perceived threat in response to relatively small difficulties.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Anxiety and mood strugglers

44%OF USERS

People dealing with anxiety, low mood, or overwhelm take it to spot the thinking traps that intensify distress and learn what to challenge first.

Therapy and coaching clients

33%OF USERS

People already in therapy or coaching use it to quickly map their common cognitive distortions and track changes over time.

Self-improvement and mindfulness seekers

23%OF USERS

Curious self-reflective people take it to understand biased thought habits in everyday conflicts, decisions, and relationships.

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.

Yes, but… (Yb)

Average

9.7

Normal range

6.3 — 13.1

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.

You must! (Ym)

Average

13.3

Normal range

9.7 — 16.9

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.

What if… (Wi)

Average

11.5

Normal range

9 — 14.1

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.

Painful Comparison (PC)

Average

7.4

Normal range

4.8 — 9.9

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.

Maximalism (M)

Average

11.2

Normal range

8.5 — 14

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.

Trusting Critics (TC)

Average

5.7

Normal range

2.6 — 8.8

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.

Trusting Your Press Secretary (TYPS)

Average

5.5

Normal range

2.7 — 8.2

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.

Tendency to take everything personally (Tttep)

Average

11.8

Normal range

8.2 — 15.5

min.

max.

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Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Mind Reading (MR)

Average

9.1

Normal range

6.2 — 12

min.

max.

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Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

The Little Chick Syndrome (TLCS)

Average

12.5

Normal range

8.9 — 16.2

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 statement never applies to me under any circumstances
- This statement applies to me only in the most extreme cases
- This statement sometimes applies to me
- This statement applies to me very often
- This statement is true of me in most cases
- This statement is never true of me under any circumstances
- This statement is true of me only in the most extreme cases
- This statement is sometimes true of me
- This statement is very often true of me
- This statement is true of me in most cases
- This statement never applies to me under any circumstances
- This statement applies to me only in the most extreme cases
- This statement sometimes applies to me
- This statement applies to me very often
- This statement applies to me in most cases

These are 3 of the 50 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

Error-Making Questionnaire Test - Symptoms and Signs

cognitive therapy

cognitive distortions

cbt

This self-report measure is designed to identify common patterns of cognitive errors that may contribute to emotional distress and maladaptive coping. The Error-Making Questionnaire prompts respondents to rate the frequency of specific thinking styles, supporting clinical formulation and treatment planning.

The instrument contains 50 items and typically requires about 10 minutes to complete. It was originally associated with work by James Reason and Donald A. Norman.

The Error-Making Questionnaire may be used as a screening tool to highlight areas for further clinical assessment, to facilitate discussion of automatic thoughts in cognitive-behavioral interventions, and to monitor change over time when repeated alongside other clinical indicators.

Author: Donald A. Norman, James Reason

Literature: Burns, D. D. Feeling good: The new mood therapy. William Morrow. 1980.; Beck, A. T., Emery, G., & Greenberg, R. L. Anxiety disorders and phobias: A cognitive perspective. Basic Books. 1985.