Thriving Test (CIT)

The Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving (CIT) was developed in 2014 by psychologists Rong Su, Louis Tay, and Ed Diener to create a comprehensive, multidimensional measure of positive psychological functioning. While many conventional well-being scales focus exclusively on general happiness or overall life satisfaction, the CIT was designed to map the complete landscape of human flourishing. By examining eighteen distinct facets across several life domains, the inventory provides a detailed and holistic overview of personal growth, interpersonal fulfillment, agency, and psychological vitality.

A significant foundation of personal thriving lies in how we relate to the people and communities around us. The CIT evaluates six relationship facets: Social Support, which reflects having reliable people who offer encouragement and assistance; Social Community, measuring your active participation in supporting neighbors and local initiatives; Social Trust, capturing your general faith in the integrity of others; Social Respect, indicating whether you feel valued and treated with fairness; Social Connection, assessing close bonds and freedom from persistent loneliness; and Social Belonging, reflecting a felt sense of integration into your broader social and regional environment.

Flourishing also relies heavily on personal agency, competence, and intellectual stimulation. The CIT examines Daily Engagement, which captures enthusiasm and absorption in regular tasks; Useful Skills, measuring how frequently you apply your unique strengths and abilities; Daily Learning, reflecting ongoing curiosity and personal growth; Achievement, tracking steady progress toward your core goals; Self-Efficacy, evaluating your confidence in navigating obstacles; Self-Worth, assessing the social importance and value of your daily contributions; and Life Agency, reflecting your capacity to make authentic, self-directed decisions rather than feeling controlled by external pressures.

The remaining facets explore your cognitive outlook and subjective emotional experiences. Life Meaning measures whether you experience a clear sense of purpose and direction. Optimism reflects a forward-looking mindset and positive expectations for the future, while Life Satisfaction gauges overall contentment with how your life is unfolding. Finally, the CIT evaluates emotional well-being through Positive Feelings, capturing everyday experiences of joy and vitality, and Emotional Ease, reflecting relative freedom from chronic distress, frustration, and unpleasant emotional states.

Published scientific research demonstrates that balanced thriving across these eighteen facets is linked to enhanced physical health, psychological resilience, and adaptive coping in the face of life stress. Because the CIT evaluates each domain independently alongside a summary Total Thriving score, it highlights personal strengths as well as specific areas where additional support or development may be beneficial. Every individual presents a distinct profile of flourishing shaped by their unique circumstances, relationships, and values.

Please note that the population comparison markers presented on your chart are approximate reference estimates derived from published research samples rather than standardized diagnostic percentiles. This assessment is provided solely for educational, self-reflective, and informational purposes. It is not intended to serve as a mental health diagnosis, medical evaluation, or substitute for professional clinical advice. This online tool is based on the Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving but is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the original test authors or their respective research institutions.

References

• Su, R., Tay, L., & Diener, E. (2014). The Development and Validation of the Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving ( CIT ) and the Brief Inventory of Thriving ( BIT ). Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 6(3), 251-279.