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Psychological Tests and Measures

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'Tests and measures' are assessment tools, such as questionnaires, inventories and scales, designed to measure or gauge some quality, knowledge, need, behavior, or trend.  They are used for diagnosis, research, and assessment in psychology, education, and other social science and health disciplines.

Before choosing and administering a test you should understand the principles, guidelines and ethics that pertain to the use of assessment tools.  Finding information about a particular tool is usually not difficult; however locating a copy of the tool may be more problematic.  Tools are generally considered either 'published' or 'unpublished'.  If a tool has been commercially published, you may need to purchase a copy from the publisher to view and use it.  Publishers often require certain qualifications before they will allow an individual to purchase and administer a tool.  Unpublished tests will sometimes appear in the article that first mentions them, in book compilations or other various sources.  You must obtain permission from the copyright holder before using the tool.


Electronic Finding aids Print Finding aids Background Sources Children, Families, Adults Health & Medical
Mental Health & Psychiatry Social, Cultural & Educational Finding Journal Articles Finding Books Additional Information
Printable PDF version

Finding Tests

Electronic Finding Aids

Tests in Print (TIP)
Produced by the Buros Institute of Mental Measurements at the University of Nebraska, Tests in Print (TIP) serves as a comprehensive bibliography to all known commercially available tests that are currently in print in the English language. TIP provides information to users including test purpose, test publisher, in-print status, price, test acronym, intended test population, administration times, publication date(s), and test author(s). A score index permits users to identify what is being measured by each test.

A 'sister' database to the Mental Measurements Yearbook, TIP is directly linked to the critical, candid test reviews published in the Mental Measurements Yearbook (see below). Users can research current test information from the TIP series and continue their search to available test reviews in MMY. 

Searching Tips:  TIP database fields are not like typical bibliographic database.  There are no abstracts or 'full text' in the database.  The default searching is the same as the Field choice "TX All Text", which searches every field, including authors names in the 'review' field.  This means that a search for "hope or hopelessness" finds tests reviewed by anyone named Hope.  Unfortunately there is no easy way to search multiple, but not every field.  Using the 'hope or hopelessness' example we recommend the following: 

  • Type: hope or hopelessness in each of the three text boxes
  • Change the operator between the text boxes to OR
  • Select the following 3 fields to search, one per test box: PP Purpose; TI Test Name; SC Scores

Rationale for this approach: searching Test Name is obvious; the Purpose field is a brief one sentence summary of the test but can often be somewhat vague; the Scores field lists the traits the test provides scores on, this is often the most useful.   Don't try to get too sophisticated in search terms and combinations.  With the basic, somewhat abbreviated records in this database the best practice is to search broadly and filter the results by browsing through the records.

Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY).  Current edition.
Available full text through MU Libraries, this source provides lengthy descriptions of published assessment tools, including title, author, audience, publisher, validity, reliability, norming data and scoring information.  Most entries also include one or more reviews.  Earlier paper editions (1938-1978) available in Raynor Reference BF431 .M44.  Each volume has indexes by title, author, publisher, and subject.

TestLink – ETS Test Collection Database.
Index of over 25,000 assessment tools from the early 1900s to the present, compiled by Educational Testing Service.  Search for keywords by author, title, subject or abstract of the assessment tool.  Click on test title for full description.  Abstracts indicate purpose, appropriate audience, etc.  Tests indexed in the collection are generally from 3 sources:

Tests in Microfiche - Raynor Library, Lower Level, Media and Reserves Room MICROFICHE G-845
Copies of over 1000 unpublished assessment tools in microfiche format, updated annually.  Tools in this collection may be reproduced; original authors should be credited; other permitted uses are explained on the fiche. Identified in TestLink record as 'TIM' in the Test Acronym field or 'Tests in Microfiche' in the Availability field

ETS Store – Some tools can be purchase through the Educational Testing Service Store.  Most are available in pdf format and downloadable upon payment.

Published Tests – Tools available from various publishers.  Contact publisher for availability.  Caution: publisher and address indicated in TestLink Availability Field may not be current.

Buros Test Reviews Online (works best in Firefox browser)
Free online index to Mental Measurements Yearbook described above but does not include reviews.  Does include brief entries to other tests not reviewed in MMY.  Complete information for these non-reviewed entries can be found in the print source Tests in Print, listed below.

Tests and Measures in the Social Sciences: Tests available in compilation volumes
Index of 10,800 tools located in 121 books, listed by author and keyword.  Produced by University of Texas at Austin.  MU Libraries have many of the books; check MARQCAT by title of book.

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Print Finding Aids

Raynor Reference BF431 .T4778
Tests in Print.
Print version of the online databaseirectory of published psychology and achievement tests available for purchase including those in Mental Measurements Yearbook listed above.  Test descriptions include test title, intended population, publication date, author, scoring information, price data, publisher and references and more. Indexes by subject, title, & author. Also searchable online at Buros Test Reviews Online website list above.   Online entries for non-MMY tests are somewhat abbreviated.  Print and online versions do not contain the Mental Measurements Yearbook reviews but these are available full text online through MMR (see above).

Raynor Reference BF176 .T43 2003
Tests: a comprehensive reference for assessments in psychology, education, and business. 5th ed.  Directory of published tests for use in psychology, education, and business.  Descriptions include test title, author, intended population, major features, scoring method, cost, availability and primary publisher.  Indexed by title, author, publisher/distributor index, and special populations.

Raynor Reference BF431 .G625 v.1-8
Directory of Unpublished Experimental Mental Measures.
Published periodically, each volume identifies tests in psychology, education, sociology, and business that are not commercially available but have been cited in journals and other reports.

Raynor Reference BR 176 .T418
Test Critiques.
This multi-volume set contains critical reviews of frequently used assessment tools as well as the basic information tool information found in other sources.

Raynor Reference BF176.C65 2000
Commissioned reviews of 250 psychological tests.
Provides 300 reviews of tests covering most areas of psychology.

Raynor Ref. BF 698.5 .C45    Chun, K. et al.
Measures for psychological assessment: a guide to 3,000 original sources and their applications.  Brief description of tool, citations to first description in literature and subsequent uses.

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Background on Testing and Measurement

Raynor Ref. BF 176 .C654 2004 v.1-4  
Comprehensive handbook of psychological assessment.   Hersen, M.
Comprehensive historical as well as state-of-the-art coverage of assessment in clinical psychology.

Raynor Ref. BF 176 .E56 2003 
Encyclopedia of psychological assessment.  Fernandez Ballesteros, R. et al.
Over 200 articles provide conceptual and methodological overview and relevant assessment devices.

BF 176 .K575 2000    
Handbook of psychological testing. (2nd ed.)  Kline, P.
Covers psychometric theory, kinds of psychological tests, applied testing, & evaluation of the published tests.

H 62 .M44 2002    
Handbook of research design & social measurement. (6th ed.)  Miller, D. C. et al.
Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of design and analysis; Pt. 7 discusses specific scales and indexes.

LB 3051 .H3199 1997    
Handbook on testing.  Dillon, R. F.
Background on all aspects of testing.

BF 176 .L64 2001    
An introduction to psychological tests and scales. (2nd ed.)  Loewenthal, K. M.
Step-by-step guide to constructing reliable and valid measurement tools.

BF 176.A48 2003    
Psychological testing and assessment. (11th ed.)  Aiken, L. R.
Comprehensive background on construction and use of tests in psychological, educational, and employment settings.

BF 176 .M87 2001    
Psychological testing: principles and applications. (5th ed.)  Murphy, K. R. et al.
Covers theory, methods, and applications of psychological testing.

BF 39 .A433 1997    
Questionnaires and inventories: surveying opinions and assessing personality.  Aiken, L. R. et al.
Covers skills needed to construct assessment tools; disk contains programs for designing, constructing, administering, scoring, and evaluating all types of questionnaires and inventories.

American Psychological Association.
Testing and Assessment.
http://www.apa.org/science/testing.html

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Children, Families and Adults

RJ 503.5 .M47 1994    
Assessment of behavioral, social, & emotional problems: direct and objective methods for use with children and adolescents.  Merrell, K. W.
Chapters include descriptions of tests used in various assessment techniques; e.g., observation, interviewing, sociometric, etc. Sources for the 50 tests listed in Appendix.

RJ 503.5 .B43 1997    
Assessment of childhood disorders. (3rd ed.)  Mash, E. J. et al.
Most chapters include descriptions of assessment tools for the disorders discussed, e.g., attention deficit disorder, fears and anxieties, autism, family conflict, etc.

BF722.M45 2003    
Behavioral, social and emotional assessment of children and adolescents. (2nd ed.) Merrell, K. W.
Reports latest research, best practices and professional standards.

RC 455.2 .M38P38 1999    
Couple and family clinical documentation sourcebook.  Patterson, T. et al.
Forms, inventories, checklists, handouts, and clinical records for assessing & treating clients.

Raynor Reference HQ 728 .T68 2001    
Handbook of family measurement techniques.  Touliatos, J. et al.
Vol 1 & 2 contain abstracts for over 900 instruments.  Vol 3 contains 168 of the instruments abstracted.

Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B. and Behrens, C. B.
Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/measure.htm
Contains more than 100 tools to evaluate programs aimed at preventing youth violence.

HQ 1061 .R44 v. 1-3    
Research instruments in social gerontology.  Mangen, D. J. et al.
Reviews of 400 instruments measuring topics from demography to intelligence and personality.

RC 473 .P78S38 1995    
Sourcebook of adult assessment strategies.  Schutte, N. S. et al.
Numerous scales for measuring psychopathology; includes administration, scoring, reliability, validity, etc.

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Health and Medical

HV 5279 .A8 2003    
Assessing alcohol problems: a guide for clinicians and researchers. 2nd ed.  Allen, J. P. et al.
Over 70 instruments used in alcoholism assessment and treatment.
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/Assesing%20Alcohol/

GV 706.4 .D57 1996   
Directory of psychological tests in the sport and exercise sciences. (2nd ed.)   Ostrow, A. C.
Summaries of 314 psychological scales, questionnaires, and inventories, specific to sport and exercise settings.

RM 930.8 .F85 1997    
Functional assessment and outcome measures for the rehabilitation health professional.  Dittmar, S. S. et al.
Discussions instruments used to measure rehabilitation outcomes.

RT 48 .I57 2004 
Instruments for clinical health-care research. (3rd ed.)   Frank-Stromborg, M. et al.
Discusses measurement of a wide variety of health issues.

RT 85.5 .M434 2001 V. 1-3  
Measurement of nursing outcomes. (2nd ed.)
Outcomes measurement tools & methods: Professional & Educational, Clinical, and Self Care & Coping.

R 727.4 .M4 2003  Redman, B. K.
Measurement tools in patient education. (2nd ed.)  Waltz, C. F. et al.
Detailed decription and discussion of multiple measurement tools.

Raynor Reference BF 176 .C66 2000  
Measures for clinical practice :a sourcebook. (3rd ed.)  Corcoran, K. et al.
Over 300 instruments for most common problems; vol. 1 couples, families and children, vol. 2 adults.

RA 407.W55 1992   
Measures of need and outcome for primary health care.  Wilkin, D. et al.
Measures of functioning, mental illness and health, social support, specific diseases, and patient satisfaction.

RA 408.5 .M38 2006 
Measuring health: a guide to rating scales and questionnaires. (3rd ed.)   McDowell, I. et al.
Eighty-eight measurements that evaluate health via questionnaires or rating scales are reviewed.

RA 407 .B69 2005  
Measuring health: a review of quality of life measurement scales. (3rd ed.)  Bowling, A.
Scales measuring broad health status psychological well-being, social networks, life satisfaction and morale.

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Mental Health and Psychiatry

Raynor Reference RC 386.6 .N48S67 2006  
Compendium of neuropsychological tests: administration, norms, and commentary. (3rd ed.)  Spreen, O. et al.
Description, administration and norms for general intelligence, attention and memory, language, visual and auditory, tactile, motor, and personality tests.

RC 473 .P78A46 2000 
Handbook of psychiatric measures. (1st ed.)   American Psychiatric Association.
Reviews of measures on non-disorder specific conditions and DSM-IV categories.  CD ROM has examples.

BF 431 .M3514 1998  
Intelligence test desk reference (ITDR) :gf-gc cross-battery assessment.  McGrew, K. S. et al.
Covers intelligence testing theory; analysis of 8 major tools used in individual intelligence testing.

RC 531 .P73 2001 
Practitioner's guide to empirically based measures of anxiety.   Antony, M. M. et al.
Includes reviews of more than 200 instruments for measuring anxiety in adults.

RC 537 .P6924 2000 
Practitioner's guide to empirically based measures of depression.   Nezu, A. M.
Overviews some 90 key assessment tools for depression.  Includes reprints of tools.

Raynor Reference RC 473 .P78S357 2001  
Rating scales in mental health.  Sajatovic, M. et al.
Describes and reproduces over 80 rating scales sueful in clinical and research settings.

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Social, Cultural, Educational

Raynor Ref. P 91.3 .C62 1994 
Communication research measures: a sourcebook.   Rubin, R. B. et al.
Brief profiles of 62 measures; include validity and reliability, administering and a copy of the scale.

Raynor Reference HM 253 .B43 1990  
Gender roles: a handbook of tests and measures.  Beere, C. A.
Brief descriptions of over 200 tools in broad categories: gender roles, stereotypes, etc.

BF 176 .H36 2001  
Handbook of multicultural assessment :clinical, psychological, and educational applications.  (2nd ed.)  Suzuki, L. A. et al.
Current issues & use of the most popular psychological and educational measures with diverse populations.

Raynor Reference BF 431 .L4543 2000  
Handbook of tests and measurement in education and the social sciences. (2nd ed.)  Lester, P. E. et al.
Psychometric information for 120+ instruments measuring constructs in education and the social sciences.

BF 176 .H37 1996  
Handbook of tests and measurements for black populations.  Jones, R. L.
Assembles and describes more than 100 tools developed for use with black populations.

Raynor Reference BF 698.4.M38 1991  
Measures of personality and social psychological attitudes.  Robinson, J. P. et al.
Covers scales focusing on attitude and personality, reproduces all or parts of tool.

JA 74.5 .M44 1999
Measures of political attitudes. Robinson, J. P. et al.
Includes reviews of dozen of tools measuring attitudes in various political categories.

BR 110 .M43 1999  
Measures of religiosity.  Hill, P. C. et al.
Describe many types of scales measuring various aspects of the psychology of religion.

HQ 1061 .R44 v. 1-3  
Research instruments in social gerontology.  Mangen, D. J. et al.
Reviews of 400 instruments measuring topics from demography to intelligence and personality.

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Journal Articles

Search journal article databases to locate articles about specific assessment tools or that have used the tools.  Databases to use are:
CINAHL: English-language nursing and allied health journals 1982 – present.
ERIC:  Education journals and research reports; 1966 – present.
Medline:  Health, human biology, biochemistry and bioengineering journals; 1966 – present.
PsycINFO:  Journals, books, and dissertations in psychology and related disciplines; 1872 – present.
HaPI, Health and Psychosocial Instruments:  Journal articles with description and analyses of assessment tools used in health and psychology; 1985 – present.

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Books

Search MARQCAT. Use Subject Headings such as:

attitude (psychology)—
   testing
behavioral assessment
educational tests and
   measurement
employment tests
health surveys
intelligence tests
neuropsychological tests
occupational aptitude
   tests
personality tests
psychodiagnostics
psychological testing
psychological tests
psychometrics
social surveys

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Additional Information

Joint Committee on Testing Practices.
Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education.
http://www.apa.org/science/fairtestcode.html

NCME Ad Hoc Committee on the Development of a Code of Ethics.
Code of Professional Responsibilities in Educational Measurement.
http://www.natd.org/Code_of_Professional_Responsibilities.html

American Psychological Association.
FAQ/Finding Information About Psychological Tests.
http://www.apa.org/science/faq-findtests.html

American Psychological Association
Testing Information Clearinghouse
http://www.apa.org/science/testclearinghs.html

Hough, H.
Links to Various Libraries' Tests and Measures FAQs.
http://libraries.uta.edu/helen/test&meas/FAQs.rtf

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This page compiled and maintained by:
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