Temperament and Personality Questionnaire

Abstract

The Temperament and Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) is a comprehensive self-report instrument designed to assess a broad range of temperament and personality traits, particularly those hypothesized to contribute to the vulnerability, presentation, and course of affective disorders, such as depression. Developed by Parker and colleagues, the scale aims to move beyond simple categorical diagnoses by quantifying specific, dimensional personality attributes that modulate clinical outcomes. The TPQ comprises 109 items distributed across ten distinct dimensions, covering both maladaptive personality styles and adaptive functioning capacities.

Keywords

Temperament, Personality, Depression, Affective Disorders, Psychological Assessment, Self-Report, Personality Traits, Perfectionism, Irritability, Social Avoidance, Cooperativeness, Effectiveness.

Authors

Gordon Parker, Malathi Manicavasagar, John Crawford.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the TPQ is to provide a dimensional measure of personality characteristics relevant to psychopathology, especially within the context of depressive disorders. By quantifying specific personality traits, the TPQ facilitates the study of how individual temperamental styles influence the likelihood of developing depression, the severity of symptoms, the presentation of specific subtypes (e.g., melancholic vs. atypical depression), and responsiveness to therapeutic interventions. It is intended for use in both research and clinical settings to enhance diagnostic nuance.

The scale specifically targets personality traits that are often implicated in chronic interpersonal difficulties and internal distress, allowing clinicians and researchers to identify underlying vulnerabilities that may perpetuate mood instability. The inclusion of functional dimensions like Cooperativeness and Effectiveness offers insight into the individual’s adaptive capacity in social and problem-solving contexts.

Construct

The TPQ measures ten distinct personality and functioning dimensions, reflecting a tiered model of personality traits associated with affective conditions. These dimensions are conceptualized as stable, enduring traits that precede and interact with depressive episodes.

The ten dimensions are categorized into two main groups:

• Personality Dimensions: These eight scales focus on core emotional and relational styles:
  • Anxious Worrying: Tendency toward pervasive worry, rumination, and stress sensitivity.
  • Personal Reserve: A preference for emotional and social distance; reluctance to disclose true feelings.
  • Perfectionism: Setting excessively high standards for oneself and striving for flawlessness.
  • Irritability: Tendency toward anger, quick temper, and snappiness, especially under pressure.
  • Social Avoidance: Preference for solitude and avoidance of social stimulation or large gatherings.
  • Interpersonal Sensitivity: Fear of rejection, abandonment, and preoccupation with the quality of close relationships.
  • Self-criticism: Harsh self-judgment, constant feeling of inadequacy, and difficulty meeting personal standards.
  • Self-focused: Egocentricity, tendency to blame others, and lack of empathy or consideration for others’ needs.
• Personality Functioning Dimensions: These two scales measure adaptive capacity:
  • Cooperativeness: The ability to be agreeable, understanding, empathetic, and function well in social and work environments.
  • Effectiveness: Self-confidence in coping abilities, resilience, resourcefulness, and feeling in control of one’s life direction.

Validity

The validity of the TPQ is supported by its consistent use in studies examining the dimensional nature of depression and personality pathology. Research utilizing the TPQ has demonstrated its utility in differentiating between various subtypes of depression, such as melancholic versus non-melancholic presentations (Rubino et al., 2009; Parker et al., 2010).

Construct validity is established by showing that the measured dimensions correlate meaningfully with specific clinical outcomes. For example, traits like Interpersonal Sensitivity and Self-criticism are strongly associated with poorer self-reported treatment effectiveness in depression (Parker & Crawford, 2009). The scale’s ability to map personality traits to a tiered model of depressive conditions further supports its theoretical grounding and clinical relevance.

Reliability

While specific internal consistency coefficients (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) are detailed in the associated psychometric literature (e.g., Parker et al., 2006, in Psychological Medicine), the dimensions of the TPQ are consistently reported to possess adequate to excellent reliability for a psychological measure. High internal consistency ensures that the items within each of the ten subscales measure a unitary underlying trait.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the TPQ is based on empirical factor analysis supporting the ten-dimensional model, which includes eight core personality traits and two personality functioning styles. This factor structure aligns with the authors’ theoretical framework proposing a tiered model for personality traits associated with depressive conditions. The analysis confirms that these dimensions are largely distinct yet collectively relevant to overall psychological vulnerability and functioning, providing a psychometrically sound basis for clinical interpretation.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Psychological Questionnaire

Format: 109 items scored on a 4-point Likert scale (0=Not true at all, 3=Very true).

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Clinical and General Adult Populations

Age Group: Adults

Population Details: Used extensively in studies of individuals with depressive disorders and community samples to map personality profiles.

Test Methodology: Scale scores are computed by summing the items corresponding to each dimension. Items 1, 2, 12, 21, 25, 27, 36, 39, 49, 50, 71, 77, 82, 92, and 103 are reverse-scored before summation. The instrument can be accessed online at: http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/surveys/Temperament/index.html

Keywords

Psychological Medicine, Affective Disorders, Personality Assessment, Temperament, Self-criticism, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Perfectionism, Cooperativeness.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided in source)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided in source)

Correspondence Address: N/A (Information not provided in source)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and utilized in research commencing around 2005-2006. Permissions for use should be directed to the primary authors or the affiliated institutions cited in the foundational research papers. The online availability suggests it may be used freely for research and clinical purposes, but specific licensing should be verified.

Reference’s

• Parker, G. & Manicavasagar, M. (2005). Modelling and managing the depressive disorders: A clinical guide. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
• Parker, G., Manicavasagar, M., Crawford, J., Tully, L., & Gladstone, G. (2006). Assessing personality traits associated with depression: the utility of a tiered model. Psychological Medicine 36, 1131-1139.
• Parker, G., & Crawford, J. (2007). A spectrum model for depressive conditions: Extrapolation of the atypical depression prototype. Journal of Affective Disorders 103, 155-163.
• Parker, G., & Crawford, J. (2007a). Chocolate craving when depressed: a personality marker. British Journal of Psychiatry 191, 351-352.
• Parker, G., & Crawford, J. (2009). Personality and self-reported treatment effectiveness in depression. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 43, 518-525.
• Rubino, A., Zanasi, M., Robone, C., & Siracusano, A. (2009). Personality differences between depressed melancholic and non-melancholic inpatients. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 43, 145-148.
• Parker, G., Fletcher, K., Barrett, M., Synnott, H., Breakspear, M., Rees, A. M., et al. (2010). Inching toward Bethlehem: Mapping melancholia. Journal of Affective Disorders, 123, 291-298.

Items of the Temperament and Personality Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. I have more good qualities than bad ones

2. I’m usually the “energizer” at parties

3. Friends see me as cooperative and agreeable

4. I always like to do my best

5. I’m generally described as a nice person

6. I’m tense and nervy

7. I’m very snappy when I’m stressed

8. I’m very uneasy about opening up to other people

9. I avoid people getting personally too close to me

10. I’m easily upset by things

11. I can be quite impatient with other people

12. I can be somewhat difficult in dealing with others

13. I can become quite grumpy and grouchy

14. I can get easily rattled by things

15. I can get exasperated and irritable with other people

16. I commit myself fully to things I take on

17. At times, I can get very cross with other people

18. I don’t like disclosing my true feelings to others

19. I don’t tend to put myself out a lot for other people

20. I don’t tend to seek advice from others

21. Even when I have to, I’m unable to get along with family or people at work

22. I fear that my important relationships will end somehow

23. I feel confident in my ability to size up and deal with any situation

24. I don’t like people getting too close to me

25. I feel I have little control over where my life is headed

26. I’m generally ready and willing to lend an ear

27. I feel like I’m going around in circles in life

28. I feel more comfortable letting family or friends make the “big decisions”

29. I like to work to my full potential

30. I feel uneasy when people try to get close to me

31. I find it easier to be myself when I’m on my own

32. I find it hard to measure up to my own standards

33. I get out of lots of problems by blaming other people

34. I have always been very self-critical

35. I have an excitable and quick temper

36. I know I cope poorly with things

37. I know I’m doing a good job when someone praises me

38. I learn from the mistakes I make

39. I like lots of social stimulation

40. I like to push myself to the limit

41. I feel most secure when other people take control

42. I never seem to get as much love from people as I give

43. I often find myself being quite critical of others

44. I prefer my own company over the company of others

45. I prefer not to get too close to people

46. I push myself to be the best at most things I do

47. I put high standards on myself and most things I take on

48. I quite enjoy manipulating people

49. I really enjoy mixing with different people

50. I really like parties and other social gatherings

51. I seem to fail more often than I succeed in life

52. I should be so much better than I actually am

53. I spend too much time worrying about what people think of me

54. I prefer to keep my feelings to myself

55. I tend to be hot tempered

56. I think I’m likely to end up being rejected in relationships

57. I tend to be quiet when I’m with people

58. I tend to be quite tough on myself

59. I tend to be very understanding of other people’s feelings and problems

60. I tend to draw away from people when they get too close

61. I tend to get angry and lose my cool when stressed

62. I tend to stew over things

63. I think a lot about being deserted by loved ones

64. I try to do everything as well as possible

65. I try to guess what others are thinking and feeling about me

66. I try to succeed at most things

67. I will often take advantage of other’s limitations

68. I work hard at most things

69. I tend to stress easily

70. I worry about how strong my important relationships really are

71. I’m a very sociable person

72. I’m always letting myself down

73. I’m always watching what I say to people

74. I’m extremely self-disciplined

75. I’m generally a worrier about things

76. I’m generally not very considerate and tolerant of other people’s wishes

77. I’m fairly happy with who I am most of the time

78. When it comes to “give and take” the important people in my life always “take more” and “give less”

79. I’m inclined to worry over quite minor things

80. I’m not very sympathetic to, empathic to, or understanding of other people when they’re in difficulty

81. I’m perfectionistic about most things

82. I’m pretty satisfied with my achievements in life

83. I tend to worry that the worst will happen

84. I’m very “tuned-in” and sensitive to other people’s feelings

85. I’m very reserved at parties and other social situations

86. If I have a gripe with someone, I worry about how to discuss it with them

87. If someone irritates me, I will snap back

88. I’m really resourceful in tackling problems

89. In general, I will listen to and understand the other person’s point of view

90. It feels good to me to please people

91. It’s not my responsibility to make other people feel better

92. My personality often causes me to lose out

93. On meeting new people, I tend to hold back

94. Opening up to people makes me feel uneasy

95. Others see me as a reliable person

96. When I get into a close relationship, I start to worry about being rejected or abandoned

97. People at work see me as cooperative and agreeable

98. People say that I’m too hard on myself

99. I’m someone who usually gets it right the first time

100. People will see me as good hearted

101. People tell me I’m “too sensitive”

102. Sometimes I feel like an “emotional sponge”, soaking up everyone’s feelings

103. There are lots of times when I give myself a “pat on the back”

104. Thinking about being alone distresses me

105. Under pressure I tend to get snappy

106. Sometimes I take things too personally

107. Under pressure, I can get cranky with others and myself

108. People who know me well would describe me as a caring person

109. When things go wrong I’m generally able to bounce back

Scoring Information:

Rating Scale: 0- Not true at all, 1-Slightly true, 2-Moderately true, 3-Very true

Reverse score the following items: 1, 2, 12, 21, 25, 27, 36, 39, 49, 50, 71, 77, 82, 92 and 103

Compute scale scores by summing the items for each dimension:

• Anxious Worrying: 41, 53, 62, 65, 69, 75, 79, 106
• Personal Reserve: 8, 9, 18, 24, 30, 45, 60, 94
• Perfectionism: 4, 16, 29, 46, 47, 64, 66, 68
• Irritability: 7, 13, 17, 35, 55, 61, 105, 107
• Social Avoidance: 2R, 39R, 49R, 50R, 57, 71R, 85
• Interpersonal Sensitivity: 22, 42, 56, 63, 70, 78, 96
• Self-criticism: 32, 34, 52, 58, 72, 77R, 82R, 103R
• Self-focused: 19, 33, 43, 48, 67, 76, 80
• Cooperativeness: 3, 5, 12R, 21R, 26, 59, 89, 97, 100, 108
• Effectiveness: 23, 25R, 27R, 36R, 38, 51R, 88, 92R, 95, 109