Self-Care Inventory

Do you give yourself the love that you give to others? Take this test to find out.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | June 24, 2024

Self-care refers to the practice of taking deliberate actions to maintain and improve one's physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It involves activities and behaviors that individuals engage in to promote health, prevent illness and manage existing health conditions. Self-care is a proactive approach to health that empowers individuals to prioritize their own needs and make choices that contribute to their overall wellness.

Self-care is essential for overall health and quality of life. By prioritizing self-care practices, individuals can better cope with stress, prevent burnout, improve resilience and enhance their overall sense of well-being. It is important to tailor self-care activities to individual preferences and needs, and to recognize that self-care is a personal and ongoing journey towards holistic health and wellness.

The Self-Care Inventory (SCI) is a theory-based instrument developed to measure self-care in the general adult population, regardless of health status or age. The SCI captures a comprehensive range of self-care behaviors and practices across different dimensions—including physical, emotional, mental and social aspects of self-care. By measuring these factors, the SCI provides a valuable tool for assessing individuals' self-care practices and identifying areas for improvement to enhance overall health and well-being.

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

Step 1: On a scale from never to always, rate the statements based on how frequently you exhibit the described behaviors.

1. I make sure to get enough sleep

2. I try to avoid getting sick (e.g., get the flu shot, wash your hands)

3. I do physical activity (e.g., take a brisk walk, use the stairs)?

4. I eat a balanced and varied diet

5. I see my healthcare provider for routine health care (e.g., routine check-up, dentist, gynecologist)

6. If/when prescribed, I take prescribed medicines without missing a dose

7. I do something to relieve stress (e.g., meditation, yoga, music)

8. I avoid smoking

9. I monitor my health regularly

10. If/when prescribed, I monitor for medicine side-effects

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

References: Luciani, M., De Maria, M., Page, S. D., Barbaranelli, C., Ausili, D., & Riegel, B. (2022). Measuring self-care in the general adult population: Development and psychometric testing of the self-care inventory. BMC Public Health, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12913-7