People have unique personalities made up of a complex combination of different traits. Personality traits affect how people understand and relate to the world around them, as well as how they see themselves. Personality assessments can be used to help you understand these traits and yourself.
What is a Personality Trait Assessment?
The personality trait assessment screens for enduring personality traits which are the dispositions to behave or feel in certain ways.
Personality is unconsciously expressed through one’s drives, coping behaviours, and thoughts. This assessment will uncover unconscious personality aspects as well as conscious self-perceived views of oneself.
Knowing more about your personality can shape and support your goals and aspirations.
How do we describe personality?
- Many contemporary personality psychologists identify five basic dimensions of personality, known as the “Big 5” personality traits.
- The Big 5 personality traits are:
- Extraversion: Sociability (also spelled extroversion)
- Agreeableness: Kindness
- Openness: Creativity and intrigue
- Conscientiousness: Thoughtfulness
- Neuroticism: Sadness or emotional instability
- Each trait represents a range between two extremes.
- Most people fall somewhere in between these extremes in the real world.
Why should I get a personality assessment?
Personality trait assessment screens for enduring personality traits, which are dispositions to behave or feel in certain ways.
- Personality impacts:
- How we relate to others
- How we handle stress
- Our approach to life goals (moving towards or shying away from them)
- Understanding these aspects of personality can:
- Shape and support individual goals and aspirations
- Help identify underdeveloped areas or barriers to achieving goals
The assessment uncovers both unconscious personality aspects and conscious self-perceived views.
How personality impacts your relationships
- Personality can influence one's ability to find happiness in relationships.
- It is not the only factor and doesn’t have to be a roadblock.
- Awareness of personal tendencies to resist or stress about finding love can be beneficial.
- Willingness to communicate these tendencies with partners can help manage challenges.
- This awareness can facilitate a path to a healthy long-term relationship.
- Understanding personality types within a relationship can enhance:
- Mutual understanding
- Support for each other’s needs and challenges
Using Projective Tests to Measure Personality
- A projective test is a type of personality test that involves responding to ambiguous scenes, words, or images.
- Responses to a projective test are believed to reflect hidden conflicts or emotions.
- The goal is to address these issues through psychotherapy or other appropriate treatments.
- Projective tests are based on the concept of subconscious thoughts or impulses.
- Their purpose is to reveal:
- Feelings
- Wants
- Conflicts hidden from the conscious mind
Does This Assess for Personality Disorders?
A personality disorder is a mental health condition where people have a lifelong pattern of seeing themselves and reacting to others in ways that cause problems.
If you are having chaotic relations, often feel abandoned, are dependent on others, have been a narcissist/bipolar, or have fluctuating emotions, a psychological assessment may be right for you.
If you would like to be assessed for a personality disorder, a psychological assessment is required.