TEMPS-A Temperament Test - Free Online Assessment
Affective temperaments are the emotional styles we tend to carry with us — the habitual coloring of our moods. This 20-item educational test, based on the widely used TEMPS-A questionnaire, gives you a gentle snapshot of five temperament dimensions.
About the TEMPS-A
The Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego (TEMPS-A; Akiskal and colleagues) maps five affective temperaments: depressive, cyclothymic, hyperthymic, irritable and anxious. This online version is an educational adaptation focused on the five temperament dimensions rather than the full 110-item clinical battery.
Affective temperaments are the stable emotional 'background tone' of a personality. In the research tradition behind the TEMPS they are treated as traits distributed across everyone at different intensities — not as disorders — although extreme expressions are studied in relation to mood disorders.
How to read your result
You receive a profile across the five temperaments instead of a single score. Most people show one or two leading temperaments; the combination describes your emotional baseline — how strongly you react, how your energy rises and falls, and how you handle anger and worry.
A strongly elevated single temperament can be informative to discuss with a professional, especially if it comes with pronounced mood swings or persistent anxiety. As a self-report it describes tendencies, not a clinical condition.
Show Details
About TEMPS-A
The Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego (TEMPS-A) was developed by Hagop Akiskal and colleagues to measure five affective temperaments: cyclothymic, depressive, irritable, hyperthymic and anxious. This page uses a brief educational 20-item adaptation.
Interpreting Results
Each of the five dimensions is scored from 0 to 4, based on how many of its four items you answered 'Yes'. A higher score means that emotional style is more present for you. No score here is 'bad' — every temperament brings both strengths and challenges.
Disclaimer
This test is an educational adaptation for self-reflection only. It is not a diagnostic tool and is not intended to assess mood disorders. If you are experiencing persistent emotional difficulties, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have another question? Let us know.
What is the TEMPS-A?
It is a self-report questionnaire developed by Hagop Akiskal and international collaborators to measure five affective temperaments — stable emotional styles that underlie mood reactivity.
What are the five temperaments?
Depressive (serious, self-critical, easily discouraged), cyclothymic (pronounced mood swings), hyperthymic (energetic, upbeat, sociable), irritable (quick to anger, intense) and anxious (worry-prone, tense). Most people combine several.
Is this the full clinical version?
No. The full TEMPS-A has about 110 questions and is used in clinical research. This page offers a shorter educational adaptation of the five dimensions.
How long does it take?
About five minutes for the adapted version.
What is an affective temperament?
It is the habitual emotional tone of a personality — how energetic, swingy, irritable or worry-prone you are by default. Think of it as the climate of your mood, while individual emotions are the weather.
Is it normal to have one dominant temperament?
Yes. One or two elevated temperaments are the most common profile. The descriptions are dimensions present in everyone, not categories that divide people.
Is this a diagnosis?
No. The TEMPS-A is a research and self-reflection instrument. Only a qualified clinician can assess whether temperament patterns connect to a mood-related condition.
How accurate is it?
The TEMPS-A is well established in mood-disorder research, but self-report always depends on honest answers and self-knowledge. Treat the profile as an educational snapshot of your emotional style.
Learn More
Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI, Educational Version)
A 21-item educational self-assessment of temperament and character
Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire - Brief (SPQ-B)
A 22-item screening measure of schizotypal traits
Fisher Temperament Inventory - Love Personality Test
Based on Helen Fisher's temperament theory, discover your love personality: Explorer, Builder, Director or Negotiator? Free, instant results.
Type A B C D Personality Test
FeaturedExplore four personality profiles (A, B, C, D) and reflect on your characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and reacting.
MBTI Personality Types + Free Test | Explore 16 Personalities in Depth
FeaturedLearn MBTI with in-depth explanations of all 16 personality types. Take the free MBTI test to discover your profile, traits, cognitive functions and growth advice — fast, accurate and beginner-friendly.
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R)
FeaturedFree EPQ test based on Hans Eysenck’s PEN model. Choose the full 100-item EPQ-R or the quick 36-item version and measure your Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Psychoticism.
