Ultra-brief measure of the Big Five personality dimensions. ≈ 2 min to complete. Free with attribution.
TIPI (Ten-Item Personality Inventory) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess ultra-brief measure of the big five personality dimensions.. It is most often used for ultra-brief measure of the big five personality dimensions.. The instrument contains 10 items. Typical administration time is ≈ 2 min.
Source / attribution: Free to use with citation
Ultra-brief measure of the Big Five personality dimensions. TIPI is part of standard practice in this setting because it provides a structured, replicable assessment that can be tracked over time and compared across patients or visits.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, TIPI is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 10 items below to see your TIPI score and interpretation.
Each item is scored on a 7-point scale (1–7). Your score updates live as you answer.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Two items per dimension scored 1-7. Each dimension range 2-14. Higher = stronger trait.
Scoring notes: Two items per dimension scored 1-7. Each dimension range 2-14. Higher = stronger trait.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 2–14 | Variable by dimension | None |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Read each question and choose the response that best fits. Each response has a number next to it — that number is the item's score. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Extraverted, enthusiastic | Disagree strongly | 1 |
| 2 | Critical, quarrelsome | Agree strongly | 1 |
| 3 | Dependable, self-disciplined | Disagree strongly | 1 |
| 4 | Anxious, easily upset | Agree strongly | 1 |
| 5 | Open to new experiences, complex | Disagree strongly | 1 |
| 6 | Reserved, quiet | Agree strongly | 1 |
| 7 | Sympathetic, warm | Disagree strongly | 1 |
| 8 | Disorganized, careless | Agree strongly | 1 |
| 9 | Calm, emotionally stable | Disagree strongly | 1 |
| 10 | Conventional, uncreative | Agree strongly | 1 |
Add up all the item scores you noted in Step 1.
1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 10
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 10 falls between 2 and 14 → Variable by dimension
Variable by dimension. None
A score is one input alongside history and examination. TIPI supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
Psychometric figures are drawn from the validation literature and may vary across clinical populations and translations.
If TIPI doesn't fit your context, related instruments in personality include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOT-R | 10-item measure of dispositional optimism with 4 filler items. | 10 | ≈ 2 min |
| BIS/BAS | 20-item measure of sensitivity to reward (BAS) and punishment (BIS). | 24 | ≈ 5 min |
| PHQ-9 | Severity of depression | 9 | ≈ 3 minutes |
| GAD-7 | Severity of generalized anxiety | 7 | ≈ 2 minutes |
| AUDIT | 10-item WHO screening tool for hazardous alcohol consumption and dependence. | 10 | ≈ 3 min |
| CHA2DS2-VASc | Annual stroke risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation | 8 | — |
| Glasgow Coma Scale | Level of consciousness after head injury | 3 | — |
| MELD-Na | 3-month mortality in advanced liver disease; transplant prioritization | 5 | — |
TIPI (Ten-Item Personality Inventory) is a validated instrument that assesses ultra-brief measure of the Big Five personality dimensions. It is designed for clinicians, medical students, evidence-synthesis researchers. It takes about 2 min to complete, and the 10 items are summed to produce a total score.
TIPI typically takes about 2 min to administer. The exact duration varies a little depending on whether it is self-administered or completed with a clinician. Its brief format is part of what makes it practical for routine clinical use and for repeat administration when tracking change over time.
TIPI contains 10 items. Item scores are summed to produce the total. Scores run from 2 to 14, grouped into 1 interpretation bands from ‘Variable by dimension’ up to ‘Variable by dimension’.
On the TIPI (total score 2–14), scores of 2–14 fall in the ‘Variable by dimension’ band — interpreted as: None. The full ladder is: 2–14 — Variable by dimension: None. A higher score reflects a more severe presentation, and crossing a cutoff is a prompt to step up assessment or care — but these bands are screening thresholds, not diagnoses.
Scores of 2–14 fall in the ‘Variable by dimension’ band: None. A low score is reassuring but does not by itself rule out the underlying condition — if symptoms or clinical suspicion persist, reassess over time or use a complementary evaluation rather than relying on the number alone.
TIPI has reported Cronbach's α of 0.68 in validation samples and test–retest reliability of 0.7. Acceptable reliability given brevity; useful for large surveys. In practical terms, a Cronbach’s α around 0.68 indicates modest internal consistency (the items hang together well), and a test–retest reliability of 0.7 means scores are well when the scale is repeated without real clinical change.
TIPI is free to use with attribution — clinical, educational, and research use is permitted provided the original source is credited. If you publish results or reproduce the scale, include the citation to the source paper.
Gosling, S. D., Rentfrow, P. J., & Swann, W. B. (2003). A very brief measure of the Big-Five personality domains. Journal of Research in Personality, 37(6), 504-528. This is the original publication for the TIPI — the reference to cite when reporting results.
No. TIPI is a structured assessment aid, not a diagnostic test. Its proper role is clinical assessment of ultra-brief measure of the Big Five personality dimensions — it standardizes assessment and flags who needs closer evaluation, but the result must be weighed alongside history, examination, and clinical context. When a score conflicts with your clinical impression, clinical judgment takes precedence; treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
TIPI is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: