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Posttraumatic Growth and Devaluation Questionnaire

Posttraumatic Growth and Devaluation Questionnaire Test

In about 9 minutes, it helps you see how you have changed after trauma, including signs of growth and decline. The results give a balanced snapshot to guide support, therapy goals, or next steps.

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Questions: 489 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

11,624 views

1,411 completions

1,176 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

2/5

Disappointment and Skepticism (DaS)

Measures the degree of disappointment and skepticism expressed as reduced trust in others, disillusionment with people, and doubt toward societal values after trauma.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 2 indicates a moderate level of disappointment/skepticism, suggesting some cautiousness and lowered trust without a pervasive or dominant cynical outlook.

example score

3/5

Loss of Meaning in Life (LoMiL)

Measures the extent to which a person experiences emptiness, chaos, and devaluation of life’s meaning and motivation after difficult events.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme sense of reduced meaning and motivation that may come and go across situations.

example score

2/5

Interpersonal Exhaustion (IE)

Measures the degree of exhaustion in relationships, including reduced empathy, helplessness, and depletion of interpersonal resources.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 2 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting noticeable but not overwhelming interpersonal depletion and some reduction in empathic capacity.

example score

3/5

Inner Constraint (IC)

Measures the degree of internal rigidity and tension expressed as feeling constrained with reduced interests and perceived capabilities.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1.6: Low | 1.7 – 3.3: Moderate | 3.4 – 5: High

A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting noticeable internal tension and some constraint, while still not reaching the highest intensity level.

example score

2/5

Posttraumatic Devaluation (PD)

This scale measures the degree of negative psychological changes after trauma, such as reduced interest in life, emotional rigidity, and disappointment in others.

Low devaluation

Moderate devaluation

High devaluation

0 – 1.6: Low devaluation | 1.7 – 3.3: Moderate devaluation | 3.4 – 5: High devaluation

A score of 2 falls in the Moderate devaluation range, suggesting some negative shifts are present but not strongly pronounced.

example score

3/5

Interpersonal Optimism (IO)

Interpersonal optimism measures how much you tend to trust others and expect support and goodwill from people around you.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a generally trusting stance with some caution or variability in how supported you feel by others.

example score

1/5

Meaning in Life (MiL)

Assesses the extent to which a person experiences life as meaningful, spiritually grounded, and accepting of the world, supporting resilience under stress.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1.6: Low | 1.7 – 3.3: Moderate | 3.4 – 5: High

A score of 1 falls in the Low range, suggesting that feelings of purpose, fulfillment, and acceptance are currently limited or harder to access.

example score

2/5

Empathy Capacity (EC)

Assesses how well a person can understand others’ emotions and respond with supportive, attuned behavior.

Lower empathy

Moderate empathy

Higher empathy

0 – 1: Lower empathy | 2 – 3: Moderate empathy | 4 – 5: Higher empathy

A score of 2 suggests a moderate capacity to empathize, with some ability to understand and support others that may be inconsistent under stress.

example score

2/5

Inner Freedom (IF)

Inner Freedom measures openness to new experiences and the ability to maintain inner harmony and adaptability during challenging situations.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 2 suggests a moderate level of inner freedom, with some capacity for stability and openness to change that may fluctuate under stress.

example score

1/5

Posttraumatic Growth (PG)

Measures the extent of positive psychological changes (e.g., new perspectives, stronger relationships, personal strength, meaning) experienced after trauma.

Low growth

Moderate growth

High growth

0 – 1.6: Low growth | 1.7 – 3.3: Moderate growth | 3.4 – 5: High growth

A score of 1 falls in the Low growth range, suggesting relatively few perceived positive changes since the event at this time.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Recovering after trauma

41%OF USERS

People who have lived through a difficult event and want to understand whether they are rebuilding, feeling diminished, or both at once.

In therapy or counseling

34%OF USERS

Clients who want a clear snapshot of their inner changes to discuss with a therapist and choose what to focus on next.

Psychologists and researchers

25%OF USERS

Professionals who use the questionnaire to assess post-trauma change patterns in clients, groups, or study samples.

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.

Disappointment/Skepticism (D)

Average

1.6

Normal range

0.7 — 2.4

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.

Loss of the Meaning of Existence (LotMoE)

Average

Normal range

2.3 — 3.6

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.

Interpersonal Burnout (IB)

Average

1.6

Normal range

0.8 — 2.3

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.

Inner tension (It)

Average

1.5

Normal range

0.8 — 2.1

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.

Post-Traumatic Devaluation (PTD) (PD()

Average

Normal range

2.3 — 3.7

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.

Interpersonal Optimism (IO)

Average

2.3

Normal range

1.6 — 2.9

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.

Meaningfulness of Life (MoL)

Average

2.9

Normal range

2 — 3.8

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.

The Ability to Empathize (TAtE)

Average

Normal range

1.2 — 2.9

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.

Inner Freedom (IF)

Average

3.7

Normal range

3.1 — 4.3

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.

Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) (PG()

Average

2.2

Normal range

1.4 — 3

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.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures perceived positive changes and perceived negative changes that may follow a difficult or traumatic event. It provides separate scores for growth and for devaluation.

Who is this questionnaire intended for?

It is intended for adolescents and adults who have experienced a highly stressful or traumatic event. It is used in clinical, counseling, and research settings.

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

Completion typically takes about 9 minutes. The questionnaire includes 48 items.

How should items be answered?

Select the response that best reflects changes since the event, based on overall experience rather than a single day. Answer every item if possible, using the same time frame throughout.

How should results be interpreted?

Higher growth scores indicate stronger perceived positive changes, and higher devaluation scores indicate stronger perceived negative changes. Scores describe self-reported change and are not a diagnosis.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Post-Traumatic Growth and Depreciation Questionnaire, PTGDQ Test

Posttraumatic Growth and Devaluation Questionnaire Test - Symptoms and Signs

psychopathology ptsd

This self-report measure is designed to assess perceived psychological changes following exposure to highly stressful or traumatic events. The Posttraumatic Growth and Devaluation Questionnaire evaluates both positive shifts (growth) and negative shifts (devaluation) to support a more balanced clinical formulation. It is commonly used to characterize post-event adaptation in clinical and research contexts.

The Posttraumatic Growth and Devaluation Questionnaire consists of 48 items and typically requires about 9 minutes to complete. It was developed by Lawrence G. Calhoun and Richard G. Tedeschi. Results are generally interpreted as indicators of the respondent’s perceived post-event change across constructive and adverse domains, and may be integrated with clinical interview findings and other measures as appropriate.

Author: Lawrence G. Calhoun, Richard G. Tedeschi

Literature: Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry. 2004.; Taku, K., Tedesda, R. G., & Shakespeare-Finch, J. Posttraumatic growth (PTG) and posttraumatic depreciation (PTD) across ten countries: Global valuation of the PTG-PTO theoretical model. Personality and Individual Differences. 2021.

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