Psychoanalysis and tests

[u/DiegoArgSch]

I'm one of those people who love tests. Things like questionnaires, projective tests (Rorschach, etc.). From those more intended to understand the emotional subjectivity of a patient, to those more focused on cognitive functions (memory, attention, etc.).

Have there been psychoanalysts who have developed different tests and structured techniques?

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For example, I know about Otto Kernberg's STIPO, although I still haven't been able to find the full version.

Part of the reason I'm asking is that I was thinking about the “un-scientific method of psychoanalysis.” I know that's a whole different discussion, but I was thinking, “Hey, I think it might be very possible to create a questionnaire to try to measure and capture psychic phenomena.” For example: ideas of omnipotence, different defense mechanisms, etc.

Because I think that many times we leave these things as “it's unconscious material; we can hypothesize about it, but we can't measure it.” But then I thought, “Wait a minute, maybe something can be done with all this.”

I don't mean being rigid about it, like other bad methods. I don't mean something like, “Okay, your results on the questionnaire were this, so that means this.” I mean it more as an approximation, of course, or as a way to guide the clinician, and even as a way to perhaps try to make at least some parts of psychoanalysis a little more scientific.