Assessment of Ego Functioning per

Edo Goldstein, Ego Psychology and SW Practice

1. Reality testing
a. To what extent is the person aware of external and internal events and able to
distinguish between them.
b. Orientation to time and place.
c. How accurate is perception and interpretation of external events (time and space)
and internal events (reflective awareness).

2. Judgment
a. To what extent does person know/anticipate consequences of behavior.
b. To what extent does behavior reflect such knowledge and anticipation of
consequences.
c. How appropriate is behavior to the person’s environment.
d. How often and how intensely does behavior reflect maladaptive judgment.

3. Sense of reality of world and of self

a. To what extent are external events seen as real and part of what is familiar to the
person.
b. To what extent has the individual developed uniqueness, sense of self, stable body
image, sense of self esteem.

4. Regulation and control of drives, affects, and impulses

a. How direct are impulse expressions.
b. Are emotional outbursts directed accurately or displaced.
c. How are affects delayed and what are control mechanisms.
d. What behavioral and feeling outlet does the person use to relieve tension, ie. play,
leisure, tears, laughter, sex, drugs, rock and roll.

5. Object Relations
a. What is the degree and kind of relatedness to others.
b. Is relatedness adaptive or maladaptive: narcissistic, symbiotic, withdrawal, mutuality,
reciprocity, empathy, ease of communication, ease of separation and individuation.
c. To what extent are new relationships patterned on old ones, adaptive or
maladaptive.
d. Is the other person seen as independent or as an extension of self.
e. To what extent can the person tolerate the absence of significant others or the
presence of frustration or anxiety related to significant others.

6. Thought Processes
a. To what extent are memory, concentration, attention used for adaptive purposes.
b. To what extent does language and communication reflect primary or secondary
thinking.
7. Adaptive regression in service of the ego
(creativity, daydreams, fantasy life)
a. To what extent is the person able to be alone.
b. Is there evidence of creativity, cooking, art, writing, music.

8. Mastery and competence in the environment

a. To what extent does the person demonstrate ability to master and effect the
environment.
b. How does the person feel about what he/she does and what she/he can do.
c. How close is what the person can do and their sense of competence.
d. How close or distant are the person’s current level of functioning and their
expectations of themselves.