The Grit-S measures perseverance and passion for long-term goals through two facets: Perseverance of Effort (sustained hard work despite setbacks) and Consistency of Interest (staying with the same goals rather than switching to new ones).
Duckworth and Quinn derived it from the original Grit Scale as a brief form that correlates almost perfectly with the parent measure, validated in United States samples ranging from late childhood to older adulthood.
Grit scores relate to educational, occupational, and military outcomes and are essentially unrelated to measured intelligence, but meta-analytic effect sizes are modest and the perseverance facet carries most of the predictive weight (Credé et al., 2017).
Grit overlaps very strongly with Big Five Conscientiousness and adds little incremental prediction beyond it; no published cutoffs or score bands exist, so scores should be interpreted relative to one's own sample.
At a Glance
Items
8 (4 Perseverance of Effort; 4 Consistency of Interest, all reverse-scored)
Administration time
A few minutes (no published timing estimate)
Response format
5-point scale, 1 = not like me at all, 5 = very much like me
Subscales
Perseverance of Effort; Consistency of Interest; Total Grit = average of all 8 items (range 1-5)
Validated populations
U.S. samples from about age 10 (spelling bee finalists) through older adulthood (65+)
Duckworth & Quinn (2009), Journal of Personality Assessment
Introduction
The Short Grit Scale (Grit-S) is an 8-item self-report measure of grit, defined as trait-level perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Duckworth and Quinn (2009) developed it as a brief version of the original 12-item Grit Scale (Grit-O; Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007); scores on the short form correlate r = .96 with the parent scale (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009). The Grit-S has been used widely in education, organizational psychology, and military training research as a predictor of achievement beyond talent and measured ability, although meta-analytic work shows the associations are generally modest (Credé, Tynan, & Harms, 2017).
Understanding Grit
Duckworth et al. (2007) define grit as the combination of sustained passion and perseverance toward long-term goals, maintained in the face of adversity, plateaus in progress, and failure. Unlike short-term persistence, grit involves keeping both effort and interest fixed on the same higher-order goals over years. The Grit-S operationalizes this definition with two facets: Perseverance of Effort, the tendency to work hard and maintain effort despite setbacks, and Consistency of Interest, the tendency to stay with the same goals and interests rather than switching to new pursuits; the Consistency items are phrased in the direction of changing goals and interests and are therefore reverse-scored (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009; Credé et al., 2017).
Theoretical Foundation
Grit was proposed to explain why some individuals accomplish more than others of equal ability. In the development studies, grit did not relate positively to IQ (verbal IQ r = .02, ns) yet predicted outcomes such as grades and retention in demanding programs (Duckworth et al., 2007). Duckworth and Quinn (2009) modeled the Grit-S as two first-order factors loading on a second-order grit factor. Later meta-analytic work did not confirm the higher-order structure, reported a very strong overlap between grit and Big Five conscientiousness, and concluded that the perseverance facet carries most of the criterion validity, which has prompted debate about whether grit is a distinct construct (Credé et al., 2017).
🎯 Key insight: Grit predicts achievement across education, military training, and work, but the effects are modest and overlap heavily with conscientiousness (meta-analytic grit-conscientiousness ρ = .84; Credé et al., 2017).
Key Features
Assessment Characteristics
8 self-report statements, rated for how much each is “like me”
5-point response scale, from not like me at all to very much like me
Two facet scores (Perseverance of Effort, Consistency of Interest) plus a total grit score
A few minutes to complete (no published timing estimate)
Validated in U.S. samples from about age 10 through older adulthood (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009)
Free for non-commercial research and educational use (copyright Angela Duckworth)
Dimensions Assessed
Perseverance of Effort – sustained hard work despite setbacks and slow progress
Consistency of Interest – maintaining the same goals and interests over long periods (reverse-scored items)
Total Grit – the average across both facets, representing overall passion and perseverance for long-term goals
Versions & Adaptations
Original 12-item Grit Scale (Grit-O) (Duckworth et al., 2007)
8-item Grit-S (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009), correlating r = .96 with the Grit-O
Informant-report versions of the Grit-S, completed about a target person by family members or peers (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009, Study 3)
10-item Grit Scale in the trade book Grit (Duckworth, 2016), which uses expanded item wordings; it is not the validated Grit-S and should not be mixed with it
No other published forms were identified during verification of this page
Research Applications
Educational research – grades, persistence, and educational attainment
Occupational research – job performance, retention, and career changes
Military training research – retention through demanding training programs
Individual-differences research – grit’s structure, correlates, and overlap with the Big Five
Evaluate your passion and perseverance for long-term goals across two key dimensions.
Scoring and Interpretation
Response Format
Participants rate how characteristic each statement is of them on a 5-point scale:
1 = Not like me at all
2 = Not much like me
3 = Somewhat like me
4 = Mostly like me
5 = Very much like me
Grit-S Items
The scale is freely distributed by its author for non-commercial use. Official numbering; R = reverse-scored (all Consistency of Interest items):
“New ideas and projects sometimes distract me from previous ones” (R, Consistency of Interest)
“Setbacks don’t discourage me” (Perseverance of Effort)
“I have been obsessed with a certain idea or project for a short time but later lost interest” (R, Consistency of Interest)
“I am a hard worker” (Perseverance of Effort)
“I often set a goal but later choose to pursue a different one” (R, Consistency of Interest)
“I have difficulty maintaining my focus on projects that take more than a few months to complete” (R, Consistency of Interest)
“I finish whatever I begin” (Perseverance of Effort)
“I am diligent” (Perseverance of Effort)
Scoring Procedure
Reverse score items 1, 3, 5, and 6 (the Consistency of Interest items; subtract each rating from 6)
Perseverance of Effort: average items 2, 4, 7, and 8 (range 1-5)
Consistency of Interest: average the reversed items 1, 3, 5, and 6 (range 1-5)
Total Grit score: average all 8 items (range 1-5)
Higher scores indicate greater grit
This two-facet structure (Perseverance of Effort and Consistency of Interest, with the Consistency items reverse-keyed) is consistent with how grit is operationalized in the meta-analytic literature (Credé et al., 2017).
Interpretation
No published cutoffs or normative score bands exist for the Grit-S. Neither the development paper nor the official scoring key defines score categories; interpret scores relative to your own sample. When facet-level interpretation matters, note that the perseverance facet shows substantially stronger criterion validity than the consistency facet in meta-analysis (Credé et al., 2017).
Descriptive Sample Means
The following are descriptive means from the development samples, not normative standards:
Sample
N
M
SD
Source
Adults (Study 2)
1,554
3.4
0.7
Duckworth & Quinn (2009), Table 3
Adolescents aged 11-17 (Study 4)
—
3.4
0.8
Duckworth & Quinn (2009), Table 7
Spelling bee finalists aged 10-15 (Study 6)
—
3.4
0.8
Duckworth & Quinn (2009), Table 9
Research Evidence and Psychometric Properties
Reliability Evidence
Internal consistency, total score: α = .73-.83 across the four development samples (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009, Table 2); meta-analytic mean α = .79 across 46 samples (Credé et al., 2017, Table 1)
Perseverance of Effort: α = .60-.78 in the development samples (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009); meta-analytic mean α = .71 across 10 samples (Credé et al., 2017, Table 1)
Consistency of Interest: α = .73-.79 (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009); meta-analytic mean α = .74 (Credé et al., 2017, Table 1)
Test-retest reliability: r = .68 over one year in adolescents (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009, Study 4)
Factor Structure
Two-factor model: Perseverance of Effort and Consistency of Interest emerged as distinct factors in confirmatory analyses (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009); the facet distinction is supported meta-analytically (Credé et al., 2017)
Interfactor correlation: r = .59 in the development work (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009); meta-analytic ρ = .60 (observed r = .44; k = 17, N = 22,048), and ρ = .66 for the Short Grit Scale specifically (k = 11, N = 18,996) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 3)
Higher-order structure: a second-order grit factor was proposed (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009), but the meta-analysis did not confirm the higher-order structure (Credé et al., 2017, p. 492)
Conscientiousness: ρ = .84 (observed r = .66; k = 22, N = 18,826) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 4); observed correlations of .64-.77 in the development studies (Duckworth et al., 2007; Duckworth & Quinn, 2009)
Self-control: ρ = .72 (k = 4, N = 2,615) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 4)
Emotional stability: ρ = .41 (k = 14, N = 14,501) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 4)
Discriminant validity:
Intelligence/cognitive ability: essentially orthogonal, meta-analytic ρ = .05 (k = 21, N = 11,513) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 4); the development paper reported grit “did not relate positively to IQ” (verbal IQ r = .02, ns) (Duckworth et al., 2007)
Aptitude (military Whole Candidate Score): ρ = .02 (k = 4, N = 4,770) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 4)
Incremental validity: overall grit adds essentially no incremental validity for academic performance beyond conscientiousness; only the perseverance facet explains unique variance (Credé et al., 2017, Table 6)
Educational Achievement
Grades: r = .20-.35 with GPA in the development studies (Duckworth et al., 2007); meta-analytic true-score ρ = .18 with overall academic performance (k = 39, N = 13,141) and ρ = .17 with GPA (Credé et al., 2017, Table 3)
Beyond ability: grit predicted GPA controlling for SAT scores; Ivy League undergraduates higher in grit earned higher GPAs despite lower SAT scores (Duckworth et al., 2007, Study 3)
Intent to persist in college: ρ = .18 (k = 5, N = 3,967) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 3)
National Spelling Bee: grittier competitors advanced further in competition (Duckworth et al., 2007, Study 6; Duckworth & Quinn, 2009, Study 6)
Occupational and Military Outcomes
Nonacademic (job) performance: meta-analytic ρ = .21 (k = 7, N = 4,116) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 3)
Intent to persist with current employer: ρ = .15 (k = 4, N = 519) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 3)
Career changes: lower grit was associated with more frequent career changes (Duckworth et al., 2007, Study 2)
West Point: grit predicted retention through the rigorous first summer of training (Beast Barracks) (Duckworth et al., 2007, Studies 4-5; Duckworth & Quinn, 2009, Study 5)
Retention overall: the meta-analytic grit-retention relation is modest, ρ = .18 (retention excluding marital status; k = 10, N = 11,163) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 3)
Age and Educational Attainment
Age: grit was higher in older cohorts (Duckworth et al., 2007, Studies 1-2); meta-analytic age correlation ρ = .12 (k = 22, N = 12,349) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 5). The evidence is cross-sectional, so developmental inference is not warranted
Oldest adults: the highest mean Grit-S scores were observed in adults 65 and older (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009, Table 3)
Education: grit is positively associated with educational attainment, reported as group differences and odds ratios rather than a simple correlation (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009); postgraduate degree holders scored higher in grit controlling for age (Duckworth et al., 2007, Study 1)
Wellbeing and Mental Health
Life satisfaction: ρ = .30 (k = 9, N = 2,266); happiness: ρ = .30 (k = 4, N = 726); work satisfaction: weak, ρ = .11 (k = 6, N = 3,439) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 4)
Depression: negative correlation, ρ = -.48 (k = 5, N = 3,865); resilience: weak, ρ = .09 (k = 3, N = 480) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 4)
Facet asymmetry: Perseverance of Effort correlated ρ = .26 with academic performance versus ρ = .10 for Consistency of Interest (k = 11, N = 5,221) (Credé et al., 2017, Table 3)
Overlap with Conscientiousness: very strong, ρ = .84; overall grit adds essentially no incremental validity for academic performance beyond conscientiousness (Credé et al., 2017, Tables 4 and 6)
Higher-order structure not confirmed: the proposed second-order structure of grit was not supported (Credé et al., 2017, p. 492)
Interventions: interventions designed to enhance grit may have only weak effects on performance and success, and the primary practical utility of grit may lie in the perseverance facet (Credé et al., 2017)
Usage Guidelines and Applications
Primary Research Applications
Measuring trait perseverance and goal commitment in educational research on achievement and persistence
Studying retention and performance in occupational and military training contexts
Individual-differences research on the structure of grit and its overlap with the Big Five
Outcome measurement in studies of grit-related interventions, bearing in mind that meta-analytic intervention effects are weak (Credé et al., 2017)
Research Design Considerations
Score against the official form: the reverse-keyed Consistency of Interest items are 1, 3, 5, and 6; nonstandard renderings of the scale that regroup items by facet will mis-score half the items if their numbering is applied to the official form
Report facet scores alongside the total: the perseverance facet carries most of the criterion validity (Credé et al., 2017)
Plan for modest effects: meta-analytic criterion correlations are around ρ = .18-.21, which has direct implications for statistical power (Credé et al., 2017)
Include a conscientiousness measure when claiming incremental validity for grit, given the very strong overlap between the constructs (Credé et al., 2017)
Cultural Considerations
All development and validation samples were from the United States (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009); cross-cultural generalizability was not established in the development work
Item content may reflect individualistic achievement values; check local adaptation and validation work before using the scale outside the U.S. context
Limitations and Cautions
Overlap with Conscientiousness: very strong correlation with this Big Five trait (ρ = .84; Credé et al., 2017), so grit’s incremental predictive power is limited
Small effects: meta-analyses show modest effect sizes across outcomes (Credé et al., 2017)
Weaker consistency facet: Consistency of Interest is less predictive than Perseverance of Effort (ρ = .10 vs .26 with academic performance; Credé et al., 2017)
Self-report limitations: responses can be affected by social desirability, and actual behavior may differ from self-perception
Interpretive caution: switching goals can be adaptive rather than a sign of low grit, and high scores are not unconditionally beneficial
Copyright and Usage Responsibility: Check that you have the proper rights and permissions to use this assessment tool in your research. This may include purchasing appropriate licenses, obtaining permissions from authors/copyright holders, or ensuring your usage falls within fair use guidelines.
The Grit Scale is copyrighted by Angela Duckworth and colleagues. However, Dr. Duckworth explicitly permits free use of the scale for non-commercial research, educational, and self-reflection purposes. Researchers and educators are welcome to use the Grit-S without obtaining permission or paying fees.
While the scale is freely available for research and education, it remains copyrighted. Uses beyond non-commercial research and education require permission.
Proper Attribution: When using or referencing this scale, cite the original development:
Duckworth, A. L., & Quinn, P. D. (2009). Development and validation of the Short Grit Scale (Grit-S). Journal of Personality Assessment, 91(2), 166-174. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223890802634290
For the original 12-item version:
Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087-1101. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.1087
Duckworth, A. L., & Quinn, P. D. (2009). Development and validation of the Short Grit Scale (Grit-S). Journal of Personality Assessment, 91(2), 166-174. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223890802634290
Original Grit Scale:
Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087-1101. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.1087
Meta-Analytic Review:
Credé, M., Tynan, M. C., & Harms, P. D. (2017). Much ado about grit: A meta-analytic synthesis of the grit literature. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 492-511. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000102
Book Version (10-item scale):
Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Scribner. (no DOI)
A tenacious honey badger relentlessly scaling the heights to claim victory — the perfect emblem of passion and perseverance measured by the GRIT-S (Short Grit Scale)
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Grit-S measure?
The Grit-S measures trait-level perseverance and passion for long-term goals through two facets: Perseverance of Effort (sustained hard work despite obstacles and setbacks) and Consistency of Interest (maintaining focus on the same goals over long periods rather than switching to new pursuits). The two facet scores average into a total grit score.
How long does the Grit-S take to complete?
The scale has 8 items rated on a 5-point scale, so it takes only a few minutes. No official timing has been published; this is an informal estimate.
Is the Grit-S free to use?
The scale is copyrighted by Angela Duckworth, who explicitly permits free use for non-commercial research, educational, and self-reflection purposes without fees or individual permission. Uses beyond non-commercial research and education require permission.
How is the Grit-S scored?
On the official Grit-S form, items 1, 3, 5, and 6 (the Consistency of Interest items) are reverse-scored (subtract each rating from 6). Perseverance of Effort is the average of items 2, 4, 7, and 8; Consistency of Interest is the average of the reversed items 1, 3, 5, and 6; Total Grit is the average of all 8 items. Scores range from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater grit. No published cutoffs or score bands exist.
How does the Grit-S differ from the original Grit Scale (Grit-O)?
The Grit-S is an 8-item abbreviation of the 12-item Grit-O (Duckworth et al., 2007) that retains the same two facets; scores on the two forms correlate r = .96 (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009). A separate 10-item version with expanded item wordings appears in Duckworth's 2016 book Grit, but that version is not the validated Grit-S and should not be mixed with it.
How reliable is the Grit-S?
In the development study, total-score alpha ranged from .73 to .83, Consistency of Interest from .73 to .79, and Perseverance of Effort from .60 to .78 (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009). Meta-analytic mean alphas are about .79 for overall grit, .74 for Consistency, and .71 for Perseverance (Credé et al., 2017). One-year test-retest reliability in adolescents is r = .68 (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009, Study 4).
Is grit distinct from Conscientiousness?
The overlap is very strong: a meta-analysis of 22 samples (N = 18,826) estimated a true-score correlation of ρ = .84 (Credé et al., 2017). Overall grit adds essentially no incremental validity for academic performance beyond Conscientiousness; only the Perseverance of Effort facet explains unique variance. Researchers claiming incremental validity for grit should measure Conscientiousness alongside it.
