⚠ Educational Use Only — The CAT-PD: Mistrust is a self-reflection worksheet for academic and research purposes only. It does not provide a formal assessment result, professional evaluation, or any form of recommendation. If you have concerns, please consult a qualified professional.
6 Research Items
1–5 Likert Scale
≥3 Baseline Avg
~2m Est. Time

Mistrust: Academic Baseline Profiler

The Mistrust subscale of the CAT-PD-SF battery is a 6-item academic instrument measuring trait-level patterns of interpersonal suspicion, paranoid ideation, and expectation of betrayal. Developed by Simms and colleagues (2011)....

For each statement, select the response that best describes your typical patterns of thinking, feeling, and behavior. There are no right or wrong answers — accurate, honest responses produce the most academically useful baseline data.

1 of 6 CAT-PD: Mistrust

Loading...

—
Academic Profile
Average item score (1–5 scale) · CAT-PD: Mistrust

Profile Interpretation

Calculating...

Academic Citation

Simms, L. J., Goldberg, L. R., Roberts, J. E., Watson, D., Welte, J., & Rotterman, J. H. (2011). Computerized adaptive assessment of personality disorder: Introducing the CAT–PD project. Journal of Personality Assessment, 93(4), 380–389. doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2011.577475

Related Tools & Articles
Related Worksheets
CAT-PD: Relationship Insecurity Attachment anxiety profiler
CAT-PD: Anxiousness General anxiety baseline
CAT-PD: Social Withdrawal Social isolation mapping
From the Blog
Building Trust in Remote Teams: A Research Guide Cognitive Biases: Why Your Brain Is Hardwired to Believe Lies

The Academic Science Behind the CAT-PD: Mistrust

The Mistrust subscale of the CAT-PD-SF battery is a 6-item academic instrument measuring trait-level patterns of interpersonal suspicion, paranoid ideation, and expectation of betrayal. Developed by Simms and colleagues (2011).

Research Framework and Construct Validity

Mistrust in the CAT-PD framework reflects a stable tendency to attribute harmful intent to others and maintain hypervigilant scrutiny of interpersonal motivations. It represents the cognitive-paranoid dimension within the broader disinhibition and detachment spectra.

Comparison: CAT-PD: Mistrust vs. IPS (Interpersonal Paranoia Scale)
Feature CAT-PD-MST IPS (Interpersonal Paranoia Scale)
Core Construct Mistrust trait profiling Closely related construct
Number of Items 6 items Varies by version
Primary Use Case Academic personality baseline Research and structured evaluation
Scoring Method 1–5 Likert average Scale-specific method
Framework CAT-PD personality research battery Independent academic instrument

Understanding Your Score Range

Two reverse-keyed items assess positive regard for others. Item average from 1 to 5 constitutes the score. Values above 3.0 reflect above-average mistrust patterns. Community α = .83; patient α = .88.

Academic Utility and Research Applications

Academic researchers pair Mistrust with Relationship Insecurity and Social Withdrawal to map paranoid interpersonal trait clusters in personality research on social functioning.

Educational Results Interpretation

Higher scores reflect stronger interpersonal suspicion and expectation of harm. Lower scores indicate more trusting and benevolent interpersonal orientation as academic baseline characteristics. This engine is provided for academic self-reflection and research purposes only. Results constitute educational data points and not evaluative conclusions. Participants are always encouraged to consult a qualified professional for comprehensive structural review.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the CAT-PD Mistrust scale measure?

The Mistrust scale maps the trait-level tendency to suspect harmful intent in others, expect betrayal, and maintain hypervigilant scrutiny of interpersonal motivations. It is not measuring healthy caution or appropriate discernment — it is specifically capturing the indiscriminate quality of expecting the worst from people as a stable personality pattern.

How is the Mistrust score calculated?

Six items are rated 1–5. Two items ('Believe that people are basically honest and good' and 'Am pretty trusting of others' motives') are reverse-keyed and scored inversely. The item average is your score. A higher average reflects greater interpersonal suspicion as a research baseline indicator.

Is high mistrust always a problem, or can it be protective?

Research approaches this with nuance. Mistrust has a genuine protective function — it developed for a reason, often in environments where trusting others did lead to real harm. The challenge is that trait mistrust tends to apply indiscriminately, preventing new, safer relationships from providing the corrective experiences that could gradually update the pattern. Understanding this distinction — between the past that shaped the mistrust and the present that might not require it — is at the heart of therapeutic work with this trait.

How does mistrust differ from healthy caution?

Academic research distinguishes trait mistrust from adaptive vigilance by its pervasive, context-insensitive quality. Healthy caution is responsive — it rises in genuinely uncertain or threatening situations and relaxes in safe ones. Trait mistrust applies broadly regardless of the actual level of threat, which is what makes it both exhausting and interpersonally costly.

Does this profile replace a formal professional evaluation?

No. This is an educational research baseline worksheet. It does not generate formal conclusions or personalised guidance. If hypervigilance and mistrust are meaningfully affecting your relationships, a qualified professional can provide invaluable support.