Interactive Interpreter

Empathy Test (EQ Score Guide)

The EQ (Empathy Quotient) is a 60-item self-report questionnaire, with 40 scored empathy items and 20 fillers, that measures self-reported empathy in adults of normal intelligence. Totals run from 0 to 80. This guide also covers cognitive vs affective empathy, the IRI four subscales and how the scales compare.

For professional reference, research, and education only. Not for diagnosis or medical advice.

EQ-60 Score Interpreter

  • Enter a total score to see its range.

  • 40 empathy items each score 2, 1 or 0; the 20 filler items are not scored. Higher scores indicate greater self-reported empathy.

    EQ-60 total score (40 empathy items)Interpretation
    31+Above the 30-point reference pointMost controls in the original study (88%) scored above 30.
    0–30At or below 30 (low empathy range)81% of autistic adults in the original study scored here. A low score is not specific to autism and does not confirm any diagnosis.

    Baron-Cohen & Wheelwright (2004): 81% of adults with autism without intellectual disability scored 30 or below, compared with 12% of controls. A research reference point, not a diagnostic cutoff.

The EQ (Empathy Quotient) is a 60-item self-report questionnaire, with 40 scored empathy items and 20 fillers, that measures self-reported empathy in adults of normal intelligence. Totals run from 0 to 80 [1]. This guide also covers the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ).

What does the EQ measure?

Empathy is the ability to perceive and resonate with the emotional states of others. Psychologists distinguish two main components:

  • Cognitive empathy: understanding what another person is thinking or feeling (mentalizing, theory of mind).
  • Affective empathy: sharing or resonating with another person's emotional state.

The EQ was developed at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge to measure individual differences in empathy, originally in autism research [1].

Other empathy scales

  • Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Developed by Mark Davis, it has four subscales: Perspective Taking (cognitive empathy), Empathic Concern (affective empathy), Personal Distress (a self-focused distress response) and Fantasy (transportation into fictional characters' perspectives). It is the most widely used empathy measure [3].
  • Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ). A brief scale built from a factor analysis of several empathy measures [2].

Why empathy matters clinically

Self-reported empathy was lower in adults with autism without intellectual disability than in controls [1]. Low affective empathy is a feature of psychopathic traits (see the psychopathy test).

Excessive personal distress, over-identifying with others' pain, can contribute to compassion fatigue in caregivers and health workers.

How do you give the EQ?

The EQ is a self-report questionnaire completed by the respondent, intended for adults of normal intelligence. The EQ-60 presents 40 empathy items mixed with 20 filler or control items [1]. Self-report EQ scores reflect perceived empathy; they are best used alongside a clinical interview rather than alone.

How do you score and interpret the EQ?

Enter the EQ total score in the scorer at the top of this page. On each of the 40 empathy items a person can score 2, 1 or 0, so the total runs from 0 to 80; the 20 filler items are not scored [1].

In the original study, 81% of adults with autism without intellectual disability scored 30 or below, compared with 12% of controls [1]. That is a research reference point, not a diagnostic cutoff.

Self-report EQ scores reflect perceived empathy and may not fully capture ability-based empathy. For clinical assessment of empathy deficits, consult a neuropsychologist.

Two types of empathy

Cognitive and affective empathy can be independently high or low, so a single total can hide an uneven profile.

IRI four subscales

The IRI's four subscales capture the multidimensional nature of empathy better than single-score scales. Many studies combine them into two factors, cognitive and affective empathy, but that two-factor scoring fit poorly in a confirmatory factor analysis, which supported Davis's original four-factor structure [3].

The IRI's author states it is freely available for all non-commercial uses; commercial use requires his permission.

Can empathy change?

Empathy is not treated as a fixed trait. Approaches used to build it include mindfulness-based programmes, compassion training, perspective-taking exercises and psychotherapy. Health workers showing signs of compassion fatigue may benefit from self-compassion training.

Psychometric properties

  • EQ. In the original study, 90 adults with autism without intellectual disability scored significantly lower than 90 age-matched controls, and women in a general-population sample of 197 adults scored significantly higher than men [1]. Test-retest reliability over roughly a year was good, the EQ showed moderate associations with IRI subscales, and principal components analysis found three factors: cognitive empathy, emotional reactivity and social skills [4].
  • IRI. Confirmatory factor analysis showed poor fit for the popular two-factor (cognitive vs affective) scoring of the IRI and supported Davis's original four-factor structure [3].
  • TEQ. Across 3 studies the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire showed strong convergent validity, good internal consistency and high test-retest reliability [2].

Limitations

  • Not diagnostic. The EQ is a research and screening tool; a low score cannot establish autism, a personality disorder or any other diagnosis.
  • Self-report. Scores reflect perceived empathy and may not capture ability-based empathy; mood, alexithymia and masking can shift results.
  • Single total. The EQ total does not separate cognitive from affective empathy.
  • Reference point, not cutoff. The 30-point figure describes how groups scored in one study; it is not a validated clinical threshold.

Empathy scores are not outcome measures. Where empathy difficulties sit alongside distress, symptom measures such as the PHQ-9, GAD-7 or PCL-5 are tracked over time.

For individuals: This page is a clinical reference, not a diagnostic tool. If you have concerns about your own symptoms, bring this information to a qualified mental health professional.

Related

FAQ

  • How is the Empathy Quotient (EQ) scored?

    The EQ-60 contains 40 empathy items and 20 filler items. Each empathy item is scored 0, 1, or 2, giving a total range from 0 to 80. The 20 filler items are not scored. Higher scores indicate higher self-reported empathy.

  • What does a low EQ score mean?

    In the original validation study, 81% of adults with autism spectrum conditions scored 30 or below (out of 80), compared with 12% of controls. Lower scores reflect reduced self-reported empathy, but a single score cannot establish a clinical diagnosis. Individual results should be interpreted in context by a qualified clinician.

  • Can the Empathy Quotient diagnose autism or a personality disorder?

    No. The EQ is a self-report research and screening tool, not a diagnostic tool. It was developed to characterize empathy differences between groups in research settings. A diagnosis of any condition requires a comprehensive clinical assessment by a qualified professional.

  • Is the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) the same as the EQ?

    No. The IRI, developed by Mark Davis, measures four distinct subscales — Perspective Taking, Empathic Concern, Personal Distress, and Fantasy — and does not produce a single empathy total. The EQ produces a unidimensional total score. Confirmatory factor analyses support the original four-factor IRI structure rather than collapsing it into two factors.

References

    1. 1.Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S. The empathy quotient: an investigation of adults with autism spectrum conditions, and normal sex differences. J Autism Dev Disord. 2004;34(2):163-75.
    2. 2.Spreng RN, McKinnon MC, Mar RA, Levine B. The Toronto Empathy Questionnaire: scale development and initial validation of a factor-analytic solution to multiple empathy measures. J Pers Assess. 2009;91(1):62-71.
    3. 3.Chrysikou EG, Thompson WJ. Assessing Cognitive and Affective Empathy Through the Interpersonal Reactivity Index: An Argument Against a Two-Factor Model. Assessment. 2016;23(6):769-777.
    4. 4.Lawrence EJ, Shaw P, Baker D, Baron-Cohen S, David AS. Measuring empathy: reliability and validity of the Empathy Quotient. Psychol Med. 2004;34(5):911-919.

    EQ © Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge. Free for research and non-commercial clinical use with acknowledgement of the Autism Research Centre as the source; the tests may not be modified, and commercial use requires permission arranged through Cambridge Enterprise.

This library is an academic and clinical reference. A scale described here is not necessarily offered in HiBoop; each page says whether it is.

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