What is a psychometric assessment? The MTQ Plus , developed by publishers AQR International Ltd., developed by Professor Peter Clough and commercialized by Doug Strycharczyk, CEO of UK-based test publishers AQR International Ltd. is a benchmark tool that measures mental toughness traits and has gained global recognition.
Used extensively by individuals and organisations, the MTQ Plus has applications in various areas, such as:
- Developing resilience and mental toughness
- Measuring self-awareness and self-regulation
- Cultural change and transition projects
- Executive selection
- Leadership development
- High-performance team development
With 63 questions, it takes only 12-15 minutes to complete online and provides results on a 1-10 scale, reflecting mental toughness and sensitivity levels. The assessment generates three reports featuring 13 data points: the overall mental toughness score, each of the 4C scores, and their respective two factors (1+4+8=13). This is a prime example of what is a psychometric assessment and how it can be utilised.
Let’s delve into each of the 4Cs and their components:
Control: This mental toughness component helps us tackle daily challenges and opportunities.
- Life Control: It’s about believing in your ability to control your world positively. High LC individuals approach tasks positively, while low LC individuals may feel powerless and unable to shape their actions.
- Emotional Control: Refers to managing and positively influencing others’ emotions. Those with strong EC are skilled at revealing only desired emotions, while those with low EC quickly reveal their true feelings.
Commitment: This component focuses on being motivated by goals and determined to achieve them.
- Goal Orientation: Describes your ability to visualise goals and targets. High-GO individuals find motivation in setting goals, while those with low-GO may find goals intimidating or pointless.
- Achievement Orientation: Refers to your dedication to achieving your own or others’ goals. High AO individuals tend to perform well, while those with low AO might procrastinate or give up easily.
Challenge: Represents your mental approach to stretching yourself outside your comfort zone.
- Risk Orientation: Measures one’s readiness to take risks and explore new territory. High RO individuals enjoy the thrill of the unknown, while low RO individuals prefer a safe, straightforward world within their comfort zone.
- Learning Orientation: Learning from experiences and seeing the positives in all outcomes. High-LO individuals love acquiring knowledge and developing skills, while low-LO individuals may give up easily without reflecting.
Confidence: As a component of mental toughness, focuses on self-belief and assertiveness. Let’s explore its two aspects:
- Confidence in Abilities: This element measures your belief in your knowledge, skills, and self-esteem. Those with high Confidence usually don’t need external validation, as they trust their capabilities. On the other hand, individuals with low Confidence might lack inner belief, hesitate to share their opinions, and often assume others are more knowledgeable.
- Interpersonal Confidence: Reflects your ability to influence others, handle difficult people, and self-promote. People with high interpersonal Confidence stand their ground and defend their position. In contrast, those with low interpersonal Confidence may shy away from assertive individuals, give ground unnecessarily, or back down quickly when challenged.
By understanding these elements of Confidence within mental toughness, you can identify areas for personal growth and become more assertive in various aspects of life. Assessing your Confidence can help you navigate personal and professional relationships more effectively. This highlights the significance of what is a psychometric assessment and its benefits.
Discover if you can be too mentally tough
Attribution: The ideas we’ve explored in this article come straight from the brilliant minds of Professor Peter Clough and Doug Strycharczyk, the masterminds behind the mental toughness framework. As the CEO of AQR International, Doug has been instrumental in promoting these concepts, and together with Professor Clough, they’ve changed how we think about personal growth and development.
