LibGuides: Psychology: Find Assessments, Tests, &amp; Measures

Introduction

This page lists sources for identifying test instruments, finding test reviews, and some sources that include the full-text of selected instruments.

A complete psychological instrument may sometimes be reproduced in a journal article, book, or thesis, but often these tools can only be obtained by paying a fee to the publisher of the instrument.

Unpublished tests can often be obtained by contacting the test author. Permission to use an unpublished test must be obtained in writing from the test author if the material is copyrighted.

The APA has a brief guide to Finding Information About Psychological Tests, including published and unpublished tests.

Best Bets for Finding Assessments, Tests & Measures

Buros Tests in Print
Provides a comprehensive bibliography of commercially available tests in English and guides readers to test reviews in Mental Measurements Yearbook.
Mental Measurements Yearbook
From the Buros Institute of Mental Measurements. Online searchable Ebsco database of descriptions and reviews of commercially available tests incorporates all previous editions of the MMY and integrates Tests in Print. Search by keyword, test name, author, or test category.

Using Databases to Find Tests

Article databases like PsycINFO can be used to locate published journal articles that describe, validate, and employ tests and will sometimes include the full text of the instrument.

Article appendices will sometimes contain the full instrument, while other articles will include an instrument as supplemental material.

For database assistance, contact the subject librarian.

PsycINFO
Tips:
- Search the name of the test as a subject heading or key word
- Use "Search Fields" tab to select the Tests & Measures field (.tm) and run a search on a test keyword or name
- Select "Edit Limits" to add Tests & Measures and Supplemental Material to the Limits drop down menu
- Limit a keyword search to Tests & Measures on Limits screen
- Select Supplemental Material > Appendixes to limit to articles that include an appendix
ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center)
Tips:
- Run an advanced search and select Document type - 160: Tests & Questionnaires
Medline
Tips:
- Search using MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms such as: questionnaires, psychological tests, health status rating scales, psychiatric status rating scales, and personality inventory.
- Combine with a key word search e.g. Depression
- Select Psychology as a sub heading
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
Tests and measures are sometimes included in the appendix of dissertations/theses.
(Also search Google Scholar for open dissertations.)
ETS Test Collection
A large database of tests and measures with availability information. ETS distributes some tests for a fee.
Substance Use Screening & Assessment Instruments Database
A database from the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute for locating instruments.

Additional Tests and Measures Resources

Resources below provide additional guides to tests and measures, including many unpublished or non-commercial instruments. Some of these sources reproduce selected instruments.

When using these resources, make sure you are following all copyright guidelines and using proper citation.

E-Books

Handbook of clinical rating scales and assessment in psychiatry and mental health (Baer, 2010)

Measures for psychological assessment: a guide to 3,000 original sources and their applications (Chun, 1975)

Handbook of psychological assessment (Goldstein, Allen, & DeLuca, 2019)

Handbook of psychological assessment (Groth-Marnat & Wright, 2016)

Guide to assessments that work (Hunsley & Mash, 2008)

Measuring health: a guide to rating scales & questionnaires (McDowell, 2006)

Print Books

Handbook of psychiatric measures (American Psychiatric Association. Task Force for the Handbook of Psychiatric Measures, 2008)

Measures for clinical practice and research: a sourcebook (Corcoran & Fischer, 2013)

Positive psychological assessment: a handbook of models and measures (Gallager & Lopez, 2019)

The clinical measurement package: a field manual (Hudson, 1982)

Tests: a comprehensive reference for assessment in psychology, education, and business (Maddox, 2008)

Major psychological assessment instruments (Newmark, 1996)

Journals

Directory of unpublished experimental mental measures (Print)

Educational & Psychological Measurement (Online)

International journal of testing (Online)

Psychological Test Adaptation & Development (Online, Open Access)

Journal Articles

Beidas, R., Stewart, R., Walsh, L., Lucas, S., Downey, M., Jackson, K., … Mandell, D. (2015). Free, Brief, and Validated: Standardized Instruments for Low-Resource Mental Health Settings. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 22(1), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2014.02.002

Web Resources

El Centro Measures Library - Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research (UMiami)
The El Centro Measures Library is available to the research community for informational purposes only. The creators of the items in this collection hold the copyright to the individual works. If you intend to use any of the measures contained in the library, please contact the author or company directly to either obtain permission or purchase the measure if it is not in the public domain.
Measuring Mobility Toolkit (Stanford SPARQ)
Measuring Mobility Toolkit from Stanford SPARQtools offer a number of free tests pertaining to psychological well-being and the social environment.
National Center for PTSD
The National Center for PTSD (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) provides information on a variety of measures assessing trauma and PTSD.