Type A Behavior Quiz

The following is provided as a tool for initial assessment of your current situation. It is not meant to take the place of an individual consultation with a trained therapist.
Many times, stress symptoms are the direct result of Type A behavior. Unless we become aware of our own Type A traits, recognizing stress symptoms and linking them to stress sources can be very difficult. The following quiz is designed to give you an idea of your own behavioral type. Read each statement carefully and then circle the number corresponding to the category of behavior that best fits you. (1=never, 2=seldom, 3=sometimes, 4=usually, 5=always). When you finish, add up all the circled numbers. A key at the end of the quiz will explain what your total score means.

I become angry or irritated whenever I have to stand in line for more than 15 minutes.

1 2 3 4 5

I handle more than one problem at a time.

1 2 3 4 5

It's hard finding the time to relax and let myself go during the day.

1 2 3 4 5

I become irritated or annoyed when someone is speaking too slowly

1 2 3 4 5

I try hard to win at sports or games

1 2 3 4 5

When I lose at sports or games, I get angry with others or myself.

1 2 3 4 5

I have trouble doing special things for myself.

1 2 3 4 5

I work much better under pressure or when meeting deadlines.

1 2 3 4 5

I find myself looking at my watch whenever I'm sitting around or not doing something active.

1 2 3 4 5

I bring work home with me.

1 2 3 4 5

I feel energized and exhilarated after being in a pressure situation.

1 2 3 4 5

I feel like I need to take charge of a group in order to get things moving.

1 2 3 4 5

I find myself eating rapidly in order to get back to work.

1 2 3 4 5

I do things quickly regardless of whether I have time or not.

1 2 3 4 5

I interrupt what people are saying when I think they're wrong.

1 2 3 4 5

I'm inflexible and rigid when it comes to changes at work or home.

1 2 3 4 5

I become jittery and need to move whenever I'm trying to relax

1 2 3 4 5

I find myself eating faster than the people I'm eating with.

1 2 3 4 5

At work, I need to perform more than one task at a time in order to feel productive.

1 2 3 4 5

I take less vacation time than I'm entitled to.

1 2 3 4 5

I find myself becoming very picky and looking at small details.

1 2 3 4 5

I become annoyed at people who don't work as hard as I do.

1 2 3 4 5

I find that there aren't enough things to do during the day.

1 2 3 4 5

I spend a good deal of time thinking about my work.

1 2 3 4 5

I get bored very easily.

1 2 3 4 5

I'm active on weekends either working or doing projects.

1 2 3 4 5

I get into arguments with people who don't think my way.

1 2 3 4 5

I have trouble 'rolling with the punches' whenever problems arise.

1 2 3 4 5

I interrupt someone's conversation in order to speed things up.

1 2 3 4 5

I take everything I do seriously.

1 2 3 4 5

The minimum score is 30, the maximum is 150. The breakdown by personality type is as follows.

Score Personality Type
100-150 Type A
76-99 Type AB (Average)
30-75 Type B

Type A Characteristics

  • Intensely competitive
  • Impatient
  • Achievement Oriented
  • Aggressive and Driven
  • Having a distorted sense of time urgency
  • Moving rapidly and frequently
  • Talking fast and listening impatiently

Type B Characteristics

  • Relaxed and unhurried
  • Patient
  • Noncompetitive
  • Nonaggressive
  • Not having time urgency

Adapted from The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook