CAQ Score Interpretation

What the CAQ measures

The Clinical Analysis Questionnaire (CAQ) was developed by Samuel Krug in 1980 at the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing (IPAT) as a detailed psychometric tool for clinical psychological evaluation. The CAQ extends the well-established 16PF (Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire) – developed by Raymond Cattell, by adding 12 clinically oriented scales specifically designed to identify and quantify psychopathological syndromes. The result is a single scale that simultaneously profiles both normal personality structure and clinical symptom patterns, making it uniquely suited to detailed clinical evaluations.

The CAQ produces T-scores (standardized scores with a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10) on all 28 dimensions. T-scores allow direct comparison across scales and to normative reference populations. Scores in the 40–60 range fall within the average band. Scores of 65 or above are clinically elevated and warrant clinical attention. Scores of 70 or above represent significant elevations, more than 2 standard deviations above the normative mean, and require careful clinical integration.

The CAQ is a Level C restricted scale, available only to qualified professionals through IPAT. Administration requires no special training, but interpretation demands doctoral-level expertise in psychological assessment, factor-analytic personality theory, and clinical psychopathology. It is used in clinical psychology for intake evaluations, forensic assessments, disability evaluations, differential clinical evaluation, and treatment planning in complex cases.

How to administer the CAQ

The CAQ is completed directly by the respondent as a self-report questionnaire. It contains 272 items covering both the 16 normal personality factor scales and the 12 clinical syndrome scales, and typically requires 90 to 120 minutes. Administration can be supervised by a trained technician, but scoring and interpretation are restricted to qualified professionals, typically licensed psychologists with doctoral-level training in psychometric assessment and clinical psychopathology.

CAQ scoring and interpretation

The 12 clinical scales extend the 16PF to capture psychopathological features. T-scores of 65 or above are clinically elevated; 70 or above are significantly elevated.

CAQ T-Score Interpreter

Enter T-scores (20–80) for each of the 12 clinical syndrome scales directly. Each scale is flagged by severity band. Clinician reference tool, not a substitute for full clinical evaluation.

Clinician reference only. CAQ requires doctoral-level interpretation. This tool does not replace full clinical assessment.

16 Personality Factors (16PF Component)

The CAQ shares all 16 primary personality factor scales with the 16PF. Each factor is bipolar, low scores and high scores both carry clinical meaning. T-scores of 40–60 fall in the average range for all factors.

The CAQ's clinical power comes from integrating elevated clinical syndrome scales with the full 16-factor personality profile. For example, elevated D2 (Suicidal Depression) combined with low C (Emotional Stability) and low H (Social Boldness) creates a clinically distinct picture from the same D2 elevation alongside high C and high H. Always interpret clinical scale elevations within the full personality context.

Psychometric properties

In a factor analysis of 56 CAQ subscale marker variables alongside 62 items from existing depression measures, Kameoka (1986) found that the majority of the 28 CAQ factors could be sustained using Cattell's procedures, but the seven depression factors were not clearly distinct, suggesting item-level revisions are needed to distinguish the CAQ depression scales. In a brain injury sample, CAQ psychopathology factors, rather than normal personality traits, were highly correlated with neuropsychological measures of brain injury, with depression substantially involved (Burns et al., 1994).

Limitations

• Not diagnostic. The CAQ is a profiling tool; diagnoses require clinical judgment that integrates CAQ findings with history, interview data and other sources.
• Overlapping depression scales. Factor-analytic work suggests the seven depression scales are not clearly distinguishable (Kameoka, 1986).
• Length. At 272 items and 90 to 120 minutes, it is unsuited to routine brief outcome monitoring.
• Restricted access. As a Level C scale, interpretation requires doctoral-level expertise, and elevations must be read within the full 28-scale profile rather than scale by scale.

Personality and Clinical Profiles in HiBoop

HiBoop does not offer the CAQ; this page is reference material. For personality traits, HiBoop offers the PID-5, scored on submission and tracked over time.