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POPS
The statements below describe attitudes, opinions, interests, feelings, and behaviors that people may
experience. Place a check in the box that best describes the way you usually are. Please respond to every
statement, even if you are not completely sure of your answer. Read each statement carefully, but don’t spend
too much time deciding on any one answer. NOTE: Do not be concerned if you find that some of the
statements are similar to each other. Answer each item on its own without concern for your other answers.
Strongly Disagree Slightly Slightly Agree Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
1. I get lost in the details.
2. I never let someone else do something
because they almost always do it
incorrectly.
3. I tend to keep my emotions to myself.
4. When someone crosses me, I make sure
to get revenge.
5. I hate changing my plans at the last
minute.
6. I get upset when my day’s schedule is
disrupted.
7. My need to be perfect affects how much
I get done.
8. I often have to take over others’
responsibilities to make sure that the job
is done right.
9. I spend too much time on something in
order to get it just right.
10. I try to convince others of what I
believe to be right and wrong.
11. People are either with me or they are
against me.
12. I have been told I am inconsiderate of
others.
13. I punish those who deserve it.
14. Expressing emotions usually leads to
embarrassment.
15. I am easily upset by changes in my
routine.
16. I have trouble dealing with unforeseen
events.
17. I have trouble with last minute changes
18. I often miss the deadlines I set for
myself.
19. I trust others to carry out tasks
competently.
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20. I tend to take on more tasks because
counting on others is useless.
21. Other people say that I am
argumentative.
22. I get angry when others try to change
my mind.
23. I have difficulty adapting to change.
24. Others say that I am closed minded.
25. I am happy to let others help me in my
work.
26. I am a stubborn person.
27. I often spend too much time getting
organized.
28. I rarely feel comfortable showing
affection towards others.
29. I hold back my feelings.
30. It is difficult for me to show my feelings
to others.
31. People think I am being critical
whenever I give them advice.
32. I insist that others do things my way.
33. People tell me that I am inflexible.
34. Others have told me I am demanding in
my relationships.
35. When working in a group, I find that I
end up doing most of the work.
36. People have described me as being
closed with my feelings.
37. I will put off a task if I do not think I
can do it perfectly.
38. People say I am critical of the way they
do things.
39. It is hard for me to shift from one task
to another.
40. I end up doing a lot of jobs myself
because no one can live up to my
standards.
41. People say that I dismiss points of view
that differ from my own.
42. There are few people who can meet my
expectations.
43. It really irritates me when people don't
stick to the plan.
44. I frequently need extensions on
deadlines.
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45. It takes longer for me to complete a task
to my high standards.
46. I get caught up in the details no matter
what I’m doing.
47. I put pressure on myself to get things
just right.
48. It is difficult for me to relate to other
people's emotions.
49. I am hard on myself when I am unable
to complete a task to my high standards.
Scoring the POPS
Reverse score items 19 and 25.
Sum items (strongly disagree = 1; disagree = 2; slightly disagree = 3; slightly agree = 4; agree = 5; strongly
agree = 6) under each factor and sum all items for overall OCP-Pathology score.
Rigidity: 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 24, 26, 31, 32, 33, 34, 38, 41
Emotional Overcontrol: 3, 14, 28, 29, 30, 36, 48
Maladaptive Perfectionism: 1, 7, 9, 18, 27, 37, 39, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49
Reluctance to Delegate: 2, 8, 19 (r), 20, 25 (r), 35, 40, 42
Difficulty with Change: 5, 6, 15, 16, 17, 23, 39, 43
Note that Item 39 is included in both Maladaptive Perfectionism and Difficulty with Change.
Citation
Pinto, A. (2020). Psychotherapy for obsessive compulsive personality disorder. In J. E. Grant, A. Pinto, & S. R.
Chamberlain (Eds.), Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric
Association Publishing.
Copyright and Permissions
Pathological Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Scale (POPS)
Copyright © 2019 by Anthony Pinto, Ph.D., Emily B. Ansell, Ph.D., & Aidan G. C. Wright, Ph.D.
Correspondence
For permission to use or adapt this instrument for clinical or research purposes, please contact
Anthony Pinto, Ph.D., Northwell Health OCD Center, Zucker Hillside Hospital
[email protected]
