HOW THIS TEST WORKS
How Do I Overthink Everything? works
How version core-v1 is scored, and what it can and cannot tell you.
How it is scored
Overthinking is not a diagnosis. Researchers call it repetitive negative thinking. It includes rumination, which is dwelling on the past (Nolen-Hoeksema, Wisco, and Lyubomirsky, 2008), and worry, which is dwelling on the future (Meyer and others, 1990). Research shows it is different from healthy reflection (Trapnell and Campbell, 1999), and that always searching for the best choice can make people less happy with their choices (Schwartz and others, 2002).
This test looks at five areas: replaying the past, worrying about what is next, trouble deciding, reading into things, and a busy mind at night. Each area has eight sentences. Half describe the habit and half describe the opposite, so you cannot get a high score just by agreeing with everything. Each answer gives 0 to 4 points.
Each area score runs from 0 to 100. Your overall score is the average of the five areas. Scores are read as Low (0 to 33), Medium (34 to 66), or High (67 to 100). These levels show how you answered. They do not compare you with other people.
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 anxiety, depression, a sleep problem, or any other condition. Do not use it to make health, work, or school decisions about anyone.
Your answers can change with your mood, your sleep, and what is going on in your life.
This version has not yet been tested with a large group of people, so we do not yet know how accurate it is.