Emotional Abuse Test (EAQ)

The Emotional Abuse Questionnaire (EAQ) was developed in 1998 by marital researchers Neil Jacobson and John Gottman to systematically identify patterns of non-physical mistreatment in intimate relationships. While physical abuse is often easier to recognize, psychological and emotional abuse can be insidious, subtle, and profoundly damaging to a person's emotional health and autonomy. Jacobson and Gottman designed the EAQ to assess the specific behaviors and interpersonal dynamics that undermine a partner's self-esteem, social connection, and personal independence. By establishing a structured way to evaluate these behaviors, the questionnaire provides a clear framework for examining dynamics that might otherwise feel confusing or difficult to define.

One core dimension identified by the instrument is Emotional Isolation. In healthy partnerships, individuals maintain their own friendships, family ties, personal hobbies, and autonomy. However, an emotionally abusive pattern often involves deliberate or subtle efforts to sever these external support networks. A controlling partner may express intense jealousy, openly disapprove of your friends, demand constant accountings of your time, or make socializing so stressful that you gradually withdraw from loved ones. Over time, isolation increases psychological dependence on the relationship, eroding your confidence and making it significantly harder to recognize mistreatment or seek outside perspective and support.

Another key dimension measured by the EAQ is Emotional Degradation. This facet reflects recurring behaviors intended to demean, humiliate, undermine, or invalidate a partner's sense of reality and self-worth. Degradation can manifest as relentless criticism, attempts to catch you in perceived inconsistencies to prove you are dishonest, public mockery, or dismissive remarks about your intelligence, judgment, and emotional stability. When a partner repeatedly insists that something is wrong with you or attempts to convince friends and family that you are irrational, it fosters profound self-doubt, confusion, and psychological distress.

Extensive psychological research demonstrates that enduring chronic emotional abuse can have severe, long-lasting consequences for mental and physical well-being. Individuals subjected to ongoing degradation and isolation frequently experience heightened levels of anxiety, depression, chronic stress, hypervigilance, and trauma symptoms. Because these destructive behaviors rarely start abruptly and often escalate gradually over the course of a relationship, individuals frequently normalize, rationalize, or minimize the mistreatment they experience. Recognizing and naming these underlying patterns is therefore a crucial step toward understanding the overall health, safety, and emotional reality of an intimate partnership.

Please note that while this interactive assessment displays population comparison markers on your score chart, these markers represent estimated baselines derived from published research samples rather than standardized, validated clinical percentiles or official normative distributions. These visual references are provided solely to give you a contextual overview of how your reported relationship experiences compare to patterns observed in broader psychological study cohorts, rather than serving as absolute benchmarks.

This test is designed strictly for educational, self-reflective, and informational purposes and should not be used as a clinical diagnosis, psychiatric assessment, or legal determination of mistreatment. This screening tool is based on the Emotional Abuse Questionnaire (EAQ) developed by Jacobson and Gottman, but it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the original authors or their affiliated academic institutions. If you believe you are experiencing relationship distress, emotional manipulation, or interpersonal harm, consider reaching out to a qualified licensed mental health professional or a dedicated relationship support resource for individualized guidance.

References

• N. Jacobson, J. Gottman. When Men Batter Women: New insights into ending abusive relationships. NY: Simon & Schuster, 1998.