“Maybe [the Difficult Person Test] is our new social mirror.”

— Harvard Business Review, 2021

“The Difficult Person Test provides revealing insights into human behavior.”

— Yahoo!

“[The test] offers some valuable prompts for personal reflection.”

— GQ Magazine

“A group of professional psychologists has developed a personality test consisting of 35 questions.”

— Business Insider

Academically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Schulz, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology.

Mental Health Psychology

Difficult Person Test

Most of the world’s cultures have expressions that describe people who are difficult to get along with. Chelsea Sleep and her colleagues at the University of Georgia now believe they can scientifically quantify the seven elements that constitute a difficult person.

Are you difficult to get along with? For each of the following questions, indicate how well it applies to you below.

Question 1 of 35

I am someone who deserves great recognition and success.

Disagree

Agree

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Psychometric review of the Difficult Person Test, 21-AUG-2026

The IDRlabs Difficult Person Test (IDR-DPT) was developed by IDRlabs. The IDR-DPT is based on the work of Dr. Chelsea Sleep, Ph.D. and her colleagues, who researched the structure of antagonism. The IDR-DPT is not associated with any specific researchers in the field of personality psychology, psychopathology, or any affiliated research institutions.

The IDRlabs Difficult Person Test was informed by Dr. Sleep’s paper as published in Sleep, C. E., Crowe, M. L., Carter, N. T., Lynam, D. R., & Miller, J. D. (2020, October 15). Uncovering the structure of antagonism. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. Advance online publication and Krauss, S. 7 Basic personality ingredients of difficult people. Psychology Today.

The work of Dr. Sleep and her colleagues looked into key factors that may define difficult people. It has also informed some of the diagnostic criteria of this Difficult Person test. The present test is intended for educational purposes only. IDRlabs and the present IDRlabs Difficult Person Test are independent of the above researchers, organizations, or their affiliated institutions.

The Difficult Person Test is based on a famous and well-regarded research into the traits of difficult people. However, free online tests and quizzes such as this one are solely first takes and cannot provide accurate assessments of your personality traits. Hence, the test is intended to be used for educational purposes only. A definitive personality evaluation or mental health assessment can be made only by a qualified mental health professional.

As the publishers of this free online Difficult Person test, which allows you to screen yourself for the characteristic of being hard to get along with, we have strived to make the test as reliable and valid as possible by subjecting it to statistical controls and validation. However, free online quizzes such as the present difficult person test do not provide professional assessments or recommendations of any kind; the test is provided entirely “as-is.” For more information about any of our online tests and quizzes, please consult our Terms of Service.

References

Krauss, S. (2020). 7 Basic personality ingredients of difficult people. Psychology Today.
Pincus, A. L. (2013). The Pathological Narcissism Inventory. In J. S. Ogrodniczuk (Ed.), Understanding and treating pathological narcissism (p. 93–110). American Psychological Association.
Samton, J. (2020). The four most difficult personalities and how to handle them. Inc.
Schoenleber, Michelle & Roche, Michael & Wetzel, Eunike & Pincus, Aaron & Roberts, Brent. (2015). Brief-Pathological Narcissism Inventory (B-PNI).
Sleep, C. E., Crowe, M. L., Carter, N. T., Lynam, D. R., & Miller, J. D. (2020, October 15). Uncovering the structure of antagonism. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. Advance online publication.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Difficult Person Test?

The Difficult Person Test is a free, 35-question personality quiz that explores traits that can make someone harder to get along with. Your answers produce a profile across seven areas of interpersonal behavior.

What are the seven traits measured by the Difficult Person Test?

The test measures callousness, grandiosity, aggressiveness, suspiciousness, manipulativeness, domination, and risk-taking. These traits describe tendencies such as overlooking others’ feelings, distrusting people, or wanting to control situations.

Is the Difficult Person Test based on science?

The IDRlabs test draws on research into antagonism by Chelsea Sleep and her colleagues. IDRlabs developed the quiz independently; the researchers did not create or endorse it. It is intended for education and self-reflection, not clinical diagnosis.

What does a high Difficult Person Test score mean?

A higher score suggests that you reported more of the tendencies covered by the test. It does not automatically mean you are a bad person or that everyone finds you difficult. Consider your results alongside specific experiences and feedback from people you trust.