HOW THIS TEST WORKS
How How Independent Am I? works
How version core-v1 is scored, and what it can and cannot tell you.
How it is scored
Independence means being able to make your own choices and run your own life, while staying connected to other people. Self-determination research finds that feeling in charge of your own actions goes with better well-being (Ryan and Deci, 2000). Studies of self-efficacy find that people grow more capable by succeeding at small tasks (Bandura, 1997). Researchers also point out that in many cultures, a healthy self is both autonomous and closely related to others (Kagitcibasi, 2005).
This test looks at five areas: making your own choices, handling daily life yourself, steadying your own feelings, standing by your views, and asking for help when you need it. Each area has eight sentences. Four describe a healthy habit and four describe the opposite. Each answer gives 0 to 4 points. Each area score runs from 0 to 100, and your overall score is the average of the five.
PersonalitySite.com wrote all of these questions and descriptions. They are not copied from any other test.
What it cannot tell you
This test is for learning about yourself. It is not a diagnosis. It cannot tell you if you have a dependent or avoidant personality, anxiety, or any other condition. Do not use it to hire, judge, rank, or label people.
What counts as healthy independence differs across cultures, ages, and families. In many places, deciding together is a strength. A lower score does not mean something is wrong with you.
If someone controls your choices, a score cannot show that, and it does not replace help. This version has not yet been tested with a large group of people, so we do not yet know how accurate it is.