Free Online Test
Free Therapy Relationship Test (ARM-5)
This free therapy relationship test is the ARM-5, a five-question measure of the therapeutic alliance - the working bond between a client and their therapist. It is for people already in therapy, answered about a recent session. It scores as an average from 1 to 7, where higher means a stronger alliance.
- Questions
- 5
- Time
- ~1 min
- Instrument
- ARM-5
- Cost
- Free
Anonymous and scored entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent to us, saved, or stored anywhere. No email or sign-up required.
What this measures
The strength of the working relationship with your therapist. Time frame: thinking about your most recent session.
This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. It can tell you how your answers compare to established ranges. It cannot tell you what is causing them, whether something else explains them, or what you should do next. Only a licensed clinician can do that, in a conversation.
Please check the box above to continue.
0 of 5 answered
Thinking about your most recent session
These questions are for people currently in therapy. Thinking about your most recent session, indicate how much you agree with each statement.
Answer every question to see your result.
Your result
0
out of 1.0-7.0
Breakdown by area
- Bond0
- Partnership0
- Confidence0
There is no clinical cutoff here, and the average person scores high. Research on a large sample found an average of about 5.8 out of 7, so 5.8 is typical rather than good. Your own trend over time matters more than the number.
What this result is not
This is a screening score, not a diagnosis, and not medical advice. It reflects how you answered today. It cannot account for your history, your circumstances, a medical condition, a medication, or anything else that might explain these answers. If the result matches what you have been experiencing, the useful next step is a conversation with a licensed professional - not a second test.
Your score is not saved. Leaving or refreshing this page clears it.
About the ARM-5
The therapeutic alliance - the bond and sense of shared purpose between a client and therapist - is one of the most consistent predictors of therapy outcome in the entire research literature. It often predicts results better than which specific technique is used.
The ARM-5 measures three parts of that alliance: the bond with your therapist, partnership on how to work together, and confidence in the approach. It was validated as a short form of a longer 28-item measure.
One important quirk: this scale has a strong ceiling effect. Clients rate their therapists very highly almost across the board, with one large study finding an average near 5.8 out of 7. A 5.8 is therefore the population average, not a good score.
That makes the trend more informative than the number. If you take this periodically, a drop from your own baseline is the meaningful signal - and it is a signal worth bringing to your therapist rather than sitting on.
Therapy Relationship Test questions
Who is this test for?
People who are already in therapy with someone. It asks about your relationship with your current therapist, so it will not tell you anything useful if you are not seeing one.
What is a good score?
Higher is better, but context matters more than the raw number. Because most people rate their therapist highly, an average near 5.8 out of 7 is typical rather than good. Comparing your score against your own previous scores tells you far more than comparing it against a threshold.
My score was low. Should I switch therapists?
Not necessarily, and not automatically. A low score is a reason to say something. Alliance problems that get named and discussed frequently improve the work - repairing a rupture is itself therapeutic. If you raise it and nothing changes, then a different fit may genuinely be the right call.
Why does the therapy relationship matter so much?
Because therapy is not something done to you. It works through collaboration, honesty, and a sense that the person across from you understands what you are trying to change. When that is missing, even a well-chosen technique tends to underperform.
How we approach therapyShould I show my therapist my score?
If you want to. Many practices, including ours, gather alliance feedback deliberately because it makes the work better. A therapist who reacts defensively to this information is telling you something useful.
Other free tests
- Wellbeing TestWHO-5 · 5 questions
- Functioning TestWSAS · 5 questions
- Depression TestPHQ-9 · 9 questions
If this is something you are dealing with, here is how we treat it: General Therapy.
Instrument and attribution
ARM-5. Cahill, J., Stiles, W. B., Barkham, M., Hardy, G. E., Stone, G., Agnew-Davies, R., & Unsworth, G. (2012). Two short forms of the Agnew Relationship Measure: The ARM-5 and ARM-12. Psychotherapy Research, 22(3), 241-255. Original: Agnew-Davies et al. (1998).
- Cahill, J., Stiles, W. B., Barkham, M., Hardy, G. E., Stone, G., Agnew-Davies, R., & Unsworth, G. (2012). Two short forms of the Agnew Relationship Measure: The ARM-5 and ARM-12. Psychotherapy Research, 22(3), 241-255.
Reviewed by the MindView Therapy Team · July 30, 2026
A score is a starting point, not an answer
If something on this page matched what you have been feeling, talk it through with a licensed therapist. We respond within one business day.