LibGuides: Finding Behavioral & Psychological Tests & Measurements: Resources to use

Before You Start

Here are some things you will need to consider before starting to search for measurement instruments.

Published vs. Unpublished Tests
Published tests or measurements are available for purchase from the test publisher. Certification or permission from the publisher and author(s) may be required to administer these tests.

Unpublished tests or measurements are not available commercially but may be included in articles, studies and dissertations. These tests are also under copyright and you should request permission to use these tests by contacting the author(s).

Following Your Institution's Policies & Guidelines
Make sure you familiarize yourself with your institution's policies and guidelines on research and how this relates to volunteers you will be testing. At the UTHealth,for example, all research involving human participants must be reviewed and approved by the C ommittee for the Protection of Human Subjects before it is initiated if it falls in one of the following categories:

Human subjects research conducted by any UTHealth employee (faculty, staff, administrative and professional), student, or resident in any facility/location (e.g. MHHS, HCPC, Thomas Street Clinic or LBJ General Hospital);

Human subject’s research conducted by non-UTHealth investigators that involves subjects/patients from any UTHealth-facility.

The Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) is responsible for overseeing the provisions for the care and well-being of animals used for research and educational purposes at UTHealth and serves the public by ensuring compliance with all legal and ethical standards regarding the use of vertebrate animals in research and teaching at UTHealth.

Consult Your School or Department
If you have questions about administering tests you have found you may need to contact someone from your department or the Office of Academic Affairs.

Be Patient
Finding a test or measurement instrument can be challenging at times and requires patience. You will likely need to consult several different resources, online databases and books but don't give up. The resources in this guide are meant to guide you through this process. If you need additional help please contact one of the librarians listed below.

Remember...Always get permission from a test's author before using the test.

Online Databases to search

Health and Psychosocial Instruments (HAPI) This link opens in a new window
This database will find articles not indexed by PsycINFO. Unfortunately, the search filter does NOT work with it!
Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print This link opens in a new window
This is an index to tests. It also provides information on validation/reliability, but you won't find the actual tests here.
National Quality Measures Clearinghouse This link opens in a new window
From the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ). This database & web site provide information on specific evidence-based health care quality measures & measure sets, including the new Atlas of Integrated Behavioral Health Care Quality Measures. In addition, it now tags measure summaries corresponding to its Population Health Measure Domains. Search by topic, organization, or National Quality Strategy.
PsycINFO 1967 to present (Ovid) This link opens in a new window
See the search filter on the left to limit to tests.
Decision Making Individual Differences Inventory (DMIDI) This link opens in a new window
Over 170 individual difference measures commonly used in judgment & decision-making research.
Mental Health Inventory: RAND Medical Outcomes Study This link opens in a new window
The 37 measures in the Mental Health Inventory are part of the 116 core measures of functioning and well-being from the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS), a two-year study of patients with chronic conditions.
PROMIS This link opens in a new window
Contains measures domains related to physical health, mental health, & social health for both adults & children. From the NIH.
Buros Center for Testing This link opens in a new window
Web site designed by the producers of the Mental Measurements Yearbook and Tests in Print series for use with the Buros Institute products.
Test Collection at ETS This link opens in a new window
The Test Collection at ETS is a database of more than 25,000 tests and other measurement devices, most of which were created by authors outside ETS. It makes information on standardized tests and research instruments available to researchers, graduate students and teachers. With information about tests from the early 1900s to the present, the Test Collection at ETS is the largest compilation of such materials in the world.

Psychiatric Test Guides & Resources

Compendium of Quality of Life Instruments by Sam Salek
Call Number: WA 900.1 C65 1998
ISBN: 0471981451
Publication Date: 1999-03-03
Measuring Health by Ian McDowell
Call Number: WA 900.1 M4 2006
ISBN: 0195165675
Publication Date: 2006-03-09

Sage Research Methods This link opens in a new window
Links over 175K pages of SAGE’s renowned book, journal and reference content. Researchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings.

Online Tests

Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1)

Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence

Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D)

Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)

Behavioral Questionnaires

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention; National Center for Health Statistics

Questionnaires, Datasets, and Related Documentation:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration

Questionnaires
- The NSDUH 2020 Methodological Resource Book : contains separate chapters on field interviewing practices, survey materials, weighing, imputation, editing and statistical inference.
- The NSUDH 2020 Questionnaire