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Mistake Rumination Scale

Perfectionistic individuals find it difficult to look beyond their mistakes, which can cause severe psychological distress. Here's a scientific scale to know if you're one of these people.

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

December 18, 2023

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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The Mistake Rumination Scale, a psychological instrument designed to assess the tendency to dwell on and excessively analyze one's mistakes, offers a nuanced perspective on the interplay between cognition and emotional well-being. Developed by experts in the field of psychology, this scale unveils the frequency and intensity with which individuals engage in post-error rumination.

Our relationship with mistakes is complex, and the Mistake Rumination Scale explores the cognitive habits that either perpetuate negative emotions or pave the way for constructive learning and resilience. By understanding these cognitive processes, psychologists and researchers can gain a clearer picture of how individuals navigate setbacks, and how they might be able to cultivate a healthier mindset.

You can take this test here. Follow all of the steps to receive your results.

References: Flett, G. L., Nepon, T., Hewitt, P. L., Zaki-Azat, J., Rose, A. L., & Swiderski, K. (2020). The Mistake Rumination Scale: Development, Validation, and Utility of a Measure of Cognitive Perfectionism. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 38(1), 84-98.

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. When you make a mistake, to what extent do you tend to think "How could I be so stupid?"

2. When you make a mistake, to what extent do you tend to think "Why can’t I stop making mistakes like this?"

3. When you make a mistake, to what extent do you tend to think about the mistake and wish it had gone better?

4. When you make a mistake, to what extent do you tend to think "Why do I make mistakes that other people don’t make?"

5. When you make a mistake, to what extent do you tend to think about other mistakes you have made?

6. When you make a mistake, to what extent do you tend to think "Why couldn’t I have seen this coming and have found some way to avoid it?"

7. When you make a mistake, to what extent do you tend to think "I am not going to let other people know about this?"

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.