The two excerpts listed below give sample items from a psychological test measuring various emotional and behavioral traits. The first group of questions measures anger regulation and the second group of questions measures sustained initiative. The questions can either be read aloud by the examiner in an interview format or given to the subject to fill out as a self-report questionnaire. Note how the answers are translated into numbers, which can then be added together to form a total score.

How frequently have any of the statements listed below been true for you in the past five years?

Some people have a difficult time getting themselves to do things they either should do or would like to do. Over the past five years, how frequently have any of the following statements applied to you?