About PersonalityScanner
PersonalityScanner is a free, independent publisher of personality and mental-health assessments. Every test on the site is based on published, peer-reviewed psychological frameworks — we implement the instruments, we don’t invent new ones.
What we build on
Our tests implement or adapt well-documented psychological frameworks. We don’t claim to invent psychometric tools — we credit and link the original sources on each test page. The frameworks we draw from include:
- Carl Jung — foundational theory of cognitive functions and psychological types (Psychological Types, 1921)
- Isabel Briggs Myers & Katharine Cook Briggs — the 16-type model used in our MBTI-style content
- Paul Costa & Robert McCrae — the Five-Factor (Big Five) model used in several of our trait tests
- Delroy Paulhus & Kevin Williams (2002) — the Dark Triad construct (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy), which informs our Dark Triad Test
- Howard Gardner (1983) — theory of multiple intelligences
- Mary Ainsworth & John Bowlby — attachment theory, basis for our Attachment Style Test
- DSM-5 criteria — referenced for educational explanations in ADHD, personality-disorder, and self-esteem content. Our tests are not diagnostic instruments.
Editorial standards
Every test page and long-form article follows the same process:
- Research. We read the original paper(s) and at least two secondary academic or clinical sources.
- Draft. Questions are adapted to plain English. Scoring is implemented to match the original instrument or a published short-form.
- Review. An editor checks the content against sources for factual accuracy.
- Disclose. The “Reviewed by” byline and “Last updated” date appear at the top of every test. Sources are cited at the bottom.
- Correct. When readers flag errors (editorial@personalityscanner.com), we review and update.
What we are not
We want to be clear about scope so you can decide whether our content is useful for you:
- We are not clinicians. Our tests are for self-reflection and education only. They are not diagnostic. If you’re concerned about a mental-health condition, talk to a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, or primary care physician.
- We are not a telehealth service. We do not provide therapy, counseling, or crisis support. If you are in crisis, please contact a crisis hotline or emergency services.
- We are not an authority on your inner life. Psychological frameworks are models — useful lenses, not final answers. Use any result as a starting point for reflection, not a label.
How we make money
PersonalityScanner is free to use. We plan to cover hosting and editorial costs via contextual display advertising (Google AdSense) once traffic grows. We do not sell user data, do not run sponsored tests, and have no paid tiers. Any future affiliate relationships (e.g., mental-health service providers) will be disclosed on the relevant page.
Editorial team
Our content is written and edited by a small independent team with backgrounds in psychology research, technical writing, and software. Read more on our Editorial Team page.
Get in touch
Corrections, feedback, and press inquiries: see our Contact page.