SoundaryGuides
How to read self-test results, how symptoms differ, and how to put a screening to use — the explanations you need after the test.
Mental health
- How to Read a Depression Self-Test Score — PHQ-9 Bands ExplainedThe PHQ-9 depression self-test has 9 items scored 0-27. Learn what the 0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19 and 20+ bands mean, why the last item matters regardless of your total, when to see a doctor, and how repeat testing shows change.6 min read ·
- How Adult ADHD Is Diagnosed — From Self-Screening to a Psychiatric EvaluationAdult ADHD is diagnosed through a psychiatric interview. Here is how symptoms look in adults, how to read the ASRS v1.1 self-screener, what the evaluation actually involves, why it gets confused with depression, anxiety and sleep loss, and what to bring to your first visit.6 min read ·
- Anxiety Disorder vs. Panic Disorder — Symptoms, GAD-7 Scores and Treatment PathsGeneralized anxiety is worry about many things that lasts six months or more; panic disorder is repeated attacks that peak within minutes plus fear of the next one. Learn how they differ, their physical symptoms, the GAD-7 score bands, when panic needs a medical check first, and the main treatment paths.5 min read ·
- Burnout vs. Depression — The Three Signs of Burnout and When It Is Something MoreBurnout is exhaustion rooted in work that tends to lift when you step away; depression pulls mood and interest down across all of life. Learn the three faces of burnout, where it overlaps with depression and where it differs, how to read a Copenhagen Burnout Inventory score, recovery steps, and the signs that it is time to see a doctor.6 min read ·
Cognition
- The Stroop Effect Explained: Why It Happens, How It Is Tested, and How to Read Your ScoreWhy does the word RED printed in blue ink slow you down? From Stroop's 1935 experiment to automaticity, response conflict, typical interference sizes in milliseconds, ADHD and aging research, and how to read your score on the Soundary Stroop test.6 min read ·
- IQ Score Distribution and Percentiles: How to Read a Score on the Mean-100, SD-15 ScaleWhat percentile is an IQ of 130? What mean 100 and SD 15 mean on the normal curve, a percentile table by score band, what online IQ tests can and cannot tell you, the Flynn effect, and how the Soundary cognitive battery builds its score.6 min read ·
- What Is Working Memory, and Does N-Back Training Actually Work?Working memory is the ability to hold information briefly and work with it. This guide covers the Baddeley model, capacity limits, how digit span, n-back, and spatial span differ, what meta-analyses say about whether n-back training raises intelligence, and how to track your own trend.5 min read ·
Personality
- The Big Five Personality Test, Explained: OCEAN Factors and How to Read Your ScoresWhat the five factors look like in everyday life, how the Big Five differs from MBTI-style type tests, what percentile and 0-100 scores actually mean, how much personality changes over a lifetime, and how to use your results for career and relationships.5 min read ·
- The Four Attachment Styles and How They Shape Your RelationshipsHow secure, anxious, avoidant, and fearful-avoidant styles are defined on the anxiety and avoidance dimensions, where they come from, how each shows up in dating and conflict, whether your style can change, and what you can do about it now.5 min read ·
How-to
These checks are self-screening, not a medical diagnosis. Diagnosis requires a clinician.