Cognitive Failures Questionnaire

What it measures

Measures self-reported frequency of everyday cognitive slips and errors across memory, attention, and action. High CFQ scores are associated with stress, anxiety, neuroticism, and poor sleep. Useful for measuring cognitive side-effects of psychological disorders and interventions, and as a covariate in cognitive research.

Response format

Likert (0–4, never to very often) over the past 6 months; total 0–100

Representative items

• Do you read something and find you haven't been thinking about it and must read it again?
• Do you forget why you went from one part of the house to another?
• Do you fail to notice signposts on the road?
• Do you leave something you were doing and then forget what it was you were doing?
• Do you daydream when you ought to be listening to something?

Usage notes & scoring

Higher scores = more cognitive failures. Freely available. CFQ scores are stable over time (trait-like) but also sensitive to state factors like stress and fatigue. Useful as a covariate or manipulation check in cognitive and clinical research.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Broadbent, D.E., Cooper, P.F., FitzGerald, P., & Parkes, K.R. (1982). The Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) and its correlates. British Journal of Psychology, 73(2), 353–370.

Keywords