Core Beliefs Inventory
For each of the 100 statements that follow, check T or F according to whether you think the statement is mostly true or
mostly false. In cases where it is a close decision, go with your first impulse. It’s important to complete every item.
There are no right or wrong answers.
1
2
3
4
5
Mostly
True
T
T
T
T
T
Mostly
False
F
F
F
F
F
6
7
T
T
F
F
8
T
F
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
17
18
T
T
F
F
19
T
F
20
T
F
21
22
23
T
T
T
F
F
F
24
25
26
27
T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F
28
29
30
31
32
T
T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F
F
33
34
35
36
T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F
Statement
Scoring
Interpretation
I am worthy of love and respect.
I feel OK about myself.
I have legitimate needs I deserve to fill.
I count for something in the world.
People I like and respect often like and respect
me.
I often feel flawed or defective.
Nobody I desire would desire me if they really
got to know me.
I’m dull and boring and can’t make interesting
conversation.
I’m unattractive.
I don’t deserve much attention or respect.
My world is a pretty safe place.
I can protect myself from most dangers.
I am willing to take risks.
I can take care of myself and my loved ones.
I don’t worry much about health or money.
Life is dangerous – a medical, natural, or
financial disaster could strike any time.
I worry about getting sick or hurt.
If I’m not careful with my money, I might end
up with nothing.
I choose my old, familiar ways of doing things
over risking the unexpected.
I feel uneasy when I go very far from home
alone.
I perform many task well.
Doing some things comes easy for me.
I am a competent person, as capable as most
people.
I can learn new skills if I try.
Most of my decisions are sound.
I’m basically incompetent.
When I trust my own judgment, I make wrong
decisions.
I tend to avoid new challenges.
I don’t perform well under stress.
I mess up everything I attempt.
I am in control of my life.
I have the power I need to solve most of my
problems.
My impulses don’t control me.
I can usually control my feelings.
I can take charge when I need to.
I have very little control over my life.
+
+
+
+
+
Your value score
indicates how
much you agree
with the
statement: “I have
worth”.
1
1
1
1
1
if
if
if
if
if
T
T
T
T
T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
Score __________
Questions 1 - 10
Your security
score indicates
how much you
agree with the
statement: “I am
safe”.
Score __________
Questions 11 - 20
-1 if T
-1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
-1 if T
Your
performance
score indicates
how much you
agree with the
statement: “I am
competent”.
Score __________
Questions 21 - 30
Your control
score indicates
how much you
agree with the
statement: “I am
powerful”.
37
38
T
T
F
F
39
T
F
40
41
42
T
T
T
F
F
F
43
44
45
T
T
T
F
F
F
46
47
T
T
F
F
48
T
F
49
T
F
50
T
F
51
52
53
T
T
T
F
F
F
54
55
T
T
F
F
56
T
F
57
58
59
T
T
T
F
F
F
60
T
F
61
62
63
64
65
66
T
T
T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F
F
F
67
T
F
68
T
F
69
70
T
T
F
F
71
T
F
72
73
T
T
F
F
Events just bowl me over sometimes.
I fear I’ll give in to overwhelming crying,
anger, or sexual impulses.
I’m powerless to change many of the situations
I’m in.
I’m often a victim or circumstances.
I feel loved and cared for.
I have at lease one satisfying intimate
relationship.
I feel nurtured in my family.
I can get the care and attention I need.
I can depend on my friends for advice and
emotional support.
I’ve never felt really cared for by my family.
My relationships are shallow – if I disappeared
tomorrow, no one would notice.
I’m afraid of being abandoned – that a loved
one will die or reject me.
There’s no one I can count on for support and
advice.
I have no one who hugs me, shares secrets
with me, or really cares what happens to me.
I can rely upon myself.
It’s OK to disagree with others.
I don’t need the approval of others for
everything I do.
I like to spend time by myself.
I think for myself, I can stand up for my own
ideas.
Others can care for me better than I can care
for myself.
I find myself going along with others’ plans.
I don’[t function well on my own.
I try hard to please others and I put their
needs in front of my own.
I have trouble making my own wants and
needs known.
The world is neither fair nor unfair.
I accept it when I don’t get what I want.
Things tend to work out in the end.
Most of the time, I feel that I am treated fairly.
I’m treated fairly, most of the time.
I get upset when I don’t get what I want – I
hate to take no for an answer.
There are certain things I simply must have to
be happy.
I feel I shouldn’t have to accept some of the
limitations placed on other people.
I tend to expect the worst.
Although my life is objectively OK, I have a lot
of trouble accepting some parts that aren’t the
way I’d like them to be.
I feel a strong sense of belonging in family and
community.
I fit in well with my circle of friends.
People usually accept me as I am.
-1 if T
-1 if T
Score __________
Questions 31 - 40
-1 if T
-1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
Your love score
indicates how
much you agree
with the
statement: “I am
loved”.
Score __________
Questions 41 - 50
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
Your autonomy
score indicates
how much you
agree with the
statement: “I am
autonomous”.
Score __________
Questions 51 - 60
-1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
Your justice
score indicates
how much you
agree with the
statement: “I am
treated justly &
fairly”.
Score __________
Questions 61 - 70
-1 if T
-1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
Your belonging
score indicates
how much you
agree with the
74
T
F
75
T
F
76
77
78
T
T
T
F
F
F
79
T
F
80
81
82
T
T
T
F
F
F
83
84
85
86
T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F
87
88
89
T
T
T
F
F
F
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
97
T
F
98
99
T
T
F
F
100
T
F
My hopes and dreams are much like everyone
else’s.
I could change jobs or join a club and soon fit
in.
I frequently feel left out of groups.
I feel like an outsider.
People don’t usually include me in what they
are doing.
Sometimes I feel like an alien, very different
from everyone else.
I don’t feel I belong where I am.
Most people can be trusted.
I rarely need to protect or guard myself with
other people.
I seldom feel taken advantage of.
I give people the benefit of the doubt.
I’d rather be too gullible than too suspicious.
Many people would like to hurt me or take
advantage of me.
Most people think only of themselves.
Most people can’t be trusted.
I must be on my guard against others’ lies and
hostile remarks.
Most people will break their promises and lie.
I set reasonable standards for myself.
I can forgive myself for failure.
I set achievable goals for myself.
I’m not perfect and that’s OK.
It’s OK to make mistakes.
Very little of what I do satisfies me – I usually
think I could do better.
I’m a perfectionist; I must be the best at
whatever I do.
Failure is very upsetting to me.
I push myself so hard that I harm my
relationships, my health, or my happiness.
I have very clear, black-and-white rules for
myself
Adapted from McKay, Matthew PhD & Fanning, Patrick, Prisoners of Belief.
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
statement: “I
belong”.
Score __________
Questions 71 - 80
-1 if T
-1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
+ 1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
-1 if T
Your others score
indicates how
much you agree
with the
statement:
“People are good”.
Score __________
Questions 81 - 90
Your standards
score indicates
how much you
agree with the
statement: “My
standards are
reasonable and
flexible”.
Score __________
Questions 91 100