The 5 Core Wounds test: what it measures and how to interpret your score

This comprehensive test is inspired by Lise Bourbeau's work on the five wounds of the soul. It explores the wounds of rejection, abandonment, humiliation, betrayal, and injustice that form during childhood and continue to influence our adult behaviors. Each wound is associated with a protective mask that we develop unconsciously. Understanding these mechanisms is the first step toward healing and emotional liberation.

In the article that follows, I explore the early schemas that keep replaying. If you recognise yourself in this theme, I designed an early schemas (Young) test that helps you take stock of the schemas that recur in your life. It comes with a guide to extend your reflection beyond the results.

Take the test: The 5 Core Wounds → — Which of the five wounds — rejection, abandonment, humiliation, betrayal, injustice — is shaping you most? This assessment identifies your dominant mask.

What the test measures

• Tendency to feel rejected, to flee social situations, and to develop the fleeing mask.
• Fear of being abandoned, emotional dependency, and development of the dependent mask.
• Feelings of shame, tendency to forget oneself for others, and development of the masochistic mask.
• Need for control, difficulty trusting, and development of the controlling mask.
• Perfectionism, emotional rigidity, and development of the rigid mask.

How to interpret your score

Your result reads as an intensity, not a diagnosis:

• Minimally Active Wounds : Your childhood wounds are generally minimally active. You've developed good resilience and your protective masks don't dominate your daily functioning.
• Moderately Active Wounds : Some childhood wounds still influence your behaviors and relationships. Protective masks manifest in certain specific situations.
• Significantly Active Wounds : Several childhood wounds are active and significantly impact your daily life, relationships, and well-being. Protective masks often dominate your reactions.
• Highly Active Wounds : Your childhood wounds are highly active and constitute a major obstacle to your flourishing. Protective masks are omnipresent and severely limit your authenticity and inner freedom.

What your full report includes

Beyond the 5 questions, the detailed PDF report (from €2.99) includes:

• Introduction : This report presents a detailed analysis of your 5 core wounds according to Lise Bourbeau's approach. Each wound is associated with a protective mask that we unconsciously develop during childhood. Understanding these mechanisms will help you know yourself better and begin a healing journey.
• Overall Score : Your overall score of {{globalScore}}% reveals the general activation level of your childhood wounds. This score is the weighted average of your five core wounds.
• Analysis by Wound : Each wound is analyzed individually. The highest wound corresponds to your dominant wound, the one that most influences your daily life and relationships.
• Recommendations : Four healing paths for fundamental wounds: (1) Precise identification of your dominant wound — wounds manifest in recurring patterns (your triggers, automatic reactions, chosen partners). (2) Jeffrey Young's schema therapy — 3rd wave CBT approach specifically designed for early wounds, uses corrective therapeutic relationship, imagery rescripting, and mode work (wounded child, critical parent, healthy adult). (3) Inner child work — guided visualizations, kind inner dialogue (Lucia Capacchione, Margaret Paul Inner Bonding), therapeutic writing (letter to wounded child never sent). (4) Building corrective experiences — secure relationships (reliable partner, stable friends, mentors), support groups, peer communities. Healing is not erasing the wound but decreasing its reactivity. Therapeutic work with a psychologist trained in CBT or schema therapy is strongly recommended. If dark thoughts: contact your local emergency services, or find a helpline in your country at findahelpline.com.
• Resources : The 5 fundamental emotional wounds were popularized by Lise Bourbeau (« Heal Your Wounds and Find Your True Self », 2000): rejection, abandonment, humiliation, betrayal, injustice. Bourbeau draws on John Pierrakos (Core Energetics) and Alexander Lowen (bioenergetic analysis). For a more rigorous academic framework, see: Jeffrey Young (early maladaptive schemas — 18 YSQ schemas), John Bowlby (attachment theory), Susan Forward (« Toxic Parents »), Pete Walker (« Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving »). Each wound creates a paradoxical « mask » of protection that reproduces the feared situation. Assessment tools: Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28). Wounds form in childhood and reactivate in adult intimate relationships.

The full personalised report (your precise score, your profile per dimension, your recommendations) is paid.

When to take this test

• You recognise yourself in childhood wounds, Lise Bourbeau, masks and want to see more clearly.
• You want a structured reading rather than a vague impression.
• You are looking for an objective starting point before talking to a professional if needed.

Take the Psy Test → — 60 questions, anonymous, PDF report (€2.99). 🔗 Analyze your conversations with ScanMyLove — Understand personality dynamics in your real conversations.

Related articles

• The 5 Core Wounds Test: What It Measures and How to Read Your Score

FAQ

How long does the test take? 60 questions, about 35 min. The first 5 are free. Does the test provide a diagnosis? No. It measures an intensity and gives you reference points; only a professional can make a diagnosis. Are my answers confidential? Yes: the test is 100% anonymous and the report is delivered directly to you.

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👉 Start the The 5 Core Wounds test → — 60 questions, instant result, PDF report, 100% anonymous.