The Edwards Personal Preference Schedule is a forced choice, objective, non-projective personality inventory, derived from the theory of H. A. Murray, which measures the rating of individuals in fifteen normal needs or motives. On the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule there are nine statements used for each scale. Social Desirability ratings have been done for each item, and the pairing of items attempts to match items of approximately equal social desirability. Fifteen pairs of items are repeated twice for the consistency scale.

Scoring: The Edwards Personal Preference Scheduleconsists of 15 scales: achievement, deference, order, exhibition, autonomy, affiliation, interception, succorance, dominance, abasement, nurturance, change, endurance, heterosexuality, and aggression.

Reliability: Split-half reliability coefficients, or coefficients of internal consistency for 1,509 students in the college normative group range from .60 to .87 with a median of .78. The author also presents test-retest stability coefficients with a one-week interval. These are based on a sample of 89 students and range from .55 to .87 with a median of .73. Other researchers have reported similar results over a three-week period, showing correlations of .55 to 87 with a median of .73.