Negative Core Beliefs Inventory (NCBI)
What it is
The Negative Core Beliefs Inventory (NCBI) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess negative core beliefs — deeply held, rigid convictions about the self, others, and the world that develop through early experience and contribute to emotional and psychological difficulties. Core beliefs underpin automatic thoughts and emotional reactions, and are a central target in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), schema therapy, and related approaches.
The NCBI helps clinicians identify specific belief themes that may be influencing a participant's mood, anxiety, self-esteem, or interpersonal functioning, providing a useful formulation tool alongside other clinical measures.
How is it used
- Suitable for adults aged 18 and over
- Can be used as part of an initial assessment or to guide formulation
- Provides information about the content and strength of negative beliefs in key domains
- Useful for tracking change in core belief strength during cognitive or schema-focused therapy
Common belief domains assessed include:
- Beliefs about the self (e.g. being defective, worthless, helpless, unlovable)
- Beliefs about others (e.g. others are untrustworthy or exploitative)
- Beliefs about the world or the future (e.g. the world is dangerous or unpredictable)
What do the scores mean?
The NCBI is scored by summing item responses, with higher scores indicating greater endorsement of negative core beliefs. Subscale scores provide information about belief strength within specific domains.
There are no widely established clinical cut-off thresholds. Interpretation focuses on the pattern of beliefs endorsed and their relative strength, which can inform the focus of therapeutic work. Change in scores across time points reflects shifts in belief strength during treatment.
Developer
Please refer to the original NCBI documentation for developer information and full references, as publication details vary depending on the version in use.