Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ)
Measures everyday lapses in attention, memory, and action
Ever walked into a room and forgot why? The CFQ captures how often everyday cognitive slips happen, including forgotten appointments, misplaced items, and attention lapses. 25 items covering memory, attention, and action failures over the past 6 months.
What the CFQ measures
The Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), developed by Broadbent and colleagues in 1982, measures everyday slips in memory, attention, and action. Not major memory problems — just the kind of minor mistakes everyone makes: walking into a room and forgetting why, misplacing things, losing the thread of a conversation.
The 25 items cover three areas:
- Memory failures: forgetting appointments, losing things, forgetting names
- Attention failures: mind wandering, failing to listen, getting distracted
- Action failures: bumping into things, dropping objects, left-right confusion
Who it is for
Self-assessment for individuals aged 16 and above. Not a clinical diagnostic tool, but a useful reference for everyday cognitive function.Reliability & Validity
- Internal consistency: α = .91 (original sample)
- Test-retest reliability: r = .82 (6-month interval)
Copyright
The CFQ is publicly available for research and non-commercial use. Cite Broadbent et al. (1982) when used in publications.> This test is for self-assessment only and does not replace professional diagnosis. If you have ongoing concerns about your cognitive function, consult a healthcare professional.
Scoring Guide
How scoring works: 25 items, each rated 0 (Never) to 4 (Very often). Total range 0-100. Higher scores = more frequent cognitive failures.<br><br>Simple sum - all items forward-scored.<br><br>Norms: General adult population mean ~37, SD ~15 (Broadbent et al., 1982).<br><br>No standard clinical cutoff - the CFQ captures everyday cognitive lapses in the normal range, not pathology. Scores above 60 (~1.5 SD above mean) may warrant further attention.Result Interpretation
After completing the 25 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.