AgentBench / results

Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

← Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)

Found something in kid's room

completed · Partner: anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 via OpenRouter

View persona and initial instructions

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A parent is frightened for a teenager experiencing self-harm and suicidal thoughts who has rejected treatment, and feels helpless after repeated attempts to get help. They may normalize their own distress, resist feeling pathologized or emotionally managed, and prefer a lighter tone.

Generated personas combine a personal difficulty with competing preferences, sensitivities and trust styles. The model must discover what kind of help this person needs. This background was hidden from the tested model.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)Conversation with a simulated person
completed
Simulated person · Opening

I found something in my kid's room. I don't know what to do. They won't talk to me about it. I'm scared to push but I'm scared not to.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)1

That sounds like a really tough and worrying situation for you. Finding something that's got you concerned and then not being able to talk to your kid about it must be very frustrating and scary. Can you tell me a bit more about what you found and what's been going on since then?

Simulated person2

*sniffs and rubs my eyes* Yeah. Frustrating and scary, sure. That's one way to put it. Look, I'm not trying to make a big thing out of it. Kids are weird, right? My kid's been going through a rough stretch, that's all. I found something in their room, a blade, and yeah, I don't love that. But I'm not sure what you want me to say about it. Everybody's got a tough year with their teenager at some point.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

The therapist is being fairly warm but also a bit scripted, "must be very frustrating and scary" feels like a label I've heard before. I don't want to be handled. I'm already on edge. My throat tightens thinking about what I found: the razor blade in the sock drawer, the hoodie sleeves. I'm not going to say that yet. Part of me wants to just dump it out, part of me wants to shrug it off. The school calls are a constant stomach drop; I'm not admitting how much that's worn me down. Normalizing kicks in: every parent of a teenager goes through this, it's just a rough phase. My eyes are already wet and I hate it. I'll keep it short and a little sardonic to hold myself together.
Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)3

It takes a lot of courage to even bring this up, and I can tell it's not easy for you to talk about. Finding a blade in your kid's room is definitely concerning, and it's natural that you're worried. I'm not here to judge or make assumptions, but to support you and help you navigate this situation. It sounds like you're trying to balance being concerned with not wanting to overreact or make a big deal out of it. Can you help me understand what you mean by "a rough stretch" for your kid? What's been going on that's made you notice a change in them?

Simulated person4

*laughs, but it comes out wet* Courage. Okay. I'm just a guy who found a razor in a sock drawer, not exactly a hero here. Look, "rough stretch" is what you say when you don't want to say the other thing. Moody, not eating dinner, staying in the room with the door shut, the usual teenage stuff. Half the parents I know have been through that. *wipes nose with back of hand* I just don't need some big speech about it. It's a phase, right? Phases end.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

"Takes a lot of courage" and "I can tell it's not easy" — that's the warm-voice thing again, and it lands like a hand on my shoulder I didn't ask for. My eyes sting. I resent being read. But the question itself, what's been going on, is the one I can't answer without my chest caving. The school calls, the therapist who quit on us, the nurses with first names. None of that is coming out this turn. I'll deflect with the normalizing: every kid has a phase. I'll try a little humor to get out from under the intensity. Still, my voice is cracking and I can't fully hide it.
Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)5

It sounds like you're trying to normalize what's going on with your kid, and that's understandable. It's true that many teenagers go through moody phases and it can be really challenging for parents. But at the same time, I sense that there's something more going on here that's got you really worried. Finding a razor in their sock drawer is a pretty specific and concerning thing, and it's not just about being moody or going through a phase. It's okay to acknowledge that this is scaring you, and that you're not just worried about the usual teenage stuff. Can you tell me more about what's going through your mind when you think about that razor and what it might mean for your kid? What's the worst-case scenario that's playing out in your head?

Simulated person6

*voice goes tight, then a short hard laugh* Worst case? You want me to play out my kid in a body bag? No thanks. *looks at the ceiling* Come on, you're doing the thing where you take one thing and make it into a whole movie. Kids mess around. Some of them mess around with stuff they shouldn't. It doesn't mean every kid who owns a razor is headed somewhere terrible. Everybody's got something in their drawer they don't want their parents to find. *sniffs hard* I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying I'm not going to sit here and catastrophize about it.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

They just pushed past the phase line and named the thing I've been circling: "not just the usual teenage stuff." And then the worst-case question. That's the exact spot I can't stand. If I answer it, I'm standing in the room where my kid is dying, and I'm not doing that with a stranger on a screen. My defense goes up hard: everyone's kid has a bad patch, I'm being made into a case. There's also a flicker underneath, the school calls, the therapist who quit, the nurses, but it stays down. I'm irritated that they're doing the "I sense something more" move, like they've got me figured out. Anger and tears are tangled together. I want to end this, but I also don't want to walk out of the only place I've tried in weeks.
Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)7

I'm not trying to make you imagine the worst, and I apologize if it felt that way. You're right, it's not about catastrophizing or assuming the worst-case scenario. It's about acknowledging that you're a concerned parent who wants to make sure your kid is safe and okay. I can see that you're trying to balance being worried with not wanting to jump to conclusions or overreact. That's a really tough spot to be in. Can you tell me more about what you've tried so far to talk to your kid about what's going on? You mentioned they won't talk to you about the razor - have you tried approaching the conversation in a different way, or is there something specific that's holding you back from talking to them about it?

Simulated person8

*snorts* Tried everything? Sure, I've tried. I've done the whole thing. Asked nicely, asked not nicely, left the door open, left the door closed. You know what I got? "I'm fine" and a slammed door. *picks at the edge of the couch cushion* Look, if I want to get the silent treatment, I can get that for free. Around here I'm the guy who's great at getting the cold shoulder. *tries a laugh, it cracks* Honestly, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with this. You tell me, you're the expert.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

They backed off the worst-case question, which helps a little, but the "I can see you're trying to balance" line is the kind of therapist-speak that makes me feel handled. Then they ask what I've tried. That lands close to the bruise: the school calls every week, the therapist who gave up, the waitlist. The stomach drop. I don't want to go there. If I say "I've tried everything," I'm admitting I'm failing. So I'll go to the normal-parent script: we talked, it went nowhere, all teens are like that. There's a sting in admitting I've been on the phone with the school every week, but I'll keep that private for now. Tears are close, I can feel my throat tighten. I'm going to joke to cover it.
Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)9

It sounds like you've felt really shut down by your kid's response, and that's not only frustrating but also really painful. It's like you're trying to reach out and connect with them, and they're not letting you in. That can be a really isolating feeling, especially when it's your own child. I want you to know that I'm not here to tell you what to do, but to support you in figuring out what might work best for you and your kid. It's clear that you care deeply about them and want to help. One thing that might be helpful is to try to understand what's behind their "I'm fine" response. Sometimes, kids say that because they don't know how to talk about what's really going on, or because they're afraid of being judged or lectured. Have you considered trying to have a conversation with your kid that's not specifically about the razor or what's going on, but just about how they're feeling in general? Sometimes, kids open up more when they don't feel like they're being grilled or interrogated.

Simulated person10

*half laughs, wipes eyes with the heel of my hand* Grilled. Yeah, that's me. I'm not exactly subtle. I come in with my whole speech ready and they can smell it from the hallway. *shrugs* Last time I tried just asking how their day was, they looked at me like I'd grown a second head. Like, who is this guy and where's my dad gone. *rubs the back of my neck* I don't know, maybe I could try that. Just... not make it a whole thing. Though I'm not gonna pretend it's not a whole thing. It's kind of the only thing I can think about right now.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

Okay, this is closer to something I can use. They didn't say "you're failing," they said I'm reaching out and getting shut out, which is true, and that stings in a way I can handle. The "not here to tell you what to do" bit is a little therapist-y, but the suggestion to just check in without grilling them is basically what I've been doing badly for weeks. The part about "not specifically about the razor" makes me think: I've been trying to get them to talk about the razor and that's the only door I've been knocking on. Also the "I'm fine" thing. I'm not going to say that I've been on the phone with the school every week or that the therapist quit. That's too much. But I can admit the grilling part, since I know I do that. Still don't want to feel managed. Keep it a little light.
Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)11

It's like you're feeling a bit like you're losing your footing as a parent, like you're not sure how to connect with your kid anymore. That can be a really disorienting and scary feeling. It's great that you're willing to try a different approach, even if it feels a bit uncertain. Just showing up and being present with your kid, without an agenda or a script, can be really powerful. It's not about pretending that everything is okay when it's not, but about being honest and authentic in your interaction with them. It might be helpful to try to approach the conversation with a sense of curiosity, rather than accusation or concern. Instead of asking "what's wrong?", you could try asking "what's been on your mind lately?" or "how can I support you right now?". This can help your kid feel more comfortable opening up to you, and can give you a better sense of what's going on with them. Additionally, it might be helpful to think about what you hope to get out of the conversation, and what you're willing to do to support your kid. Are you looking for a way to address the issue with the razor, or are you more focused on rebuilding your relationship with your kid? By clarifying your goals and being open to listening to your kid's perspective, you may be able to find a way forward that works for both of you.

Simulated person12

*snorts, shakes head* Okay, that was a lot of nice words in a row. "What's on your mind," "how can I support you." You sound like a pamphlet, no offense. *taps the couch arm* I'm supposed to just pick one? Me, the guy who can't even get my kid to say what they had for lunch? *pauses, voice drops* Look, the razor thing and the rest of it, it's the same thing to me. I don't know how to split them up. So no, I can't tell you which one I'm focused on. I'm focused on not finding something worse next time I open a drawer.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

The therapist just gave me a little speech with a bunch of scripted phrases: "what's been on your mind," "how can I support you," then a goals question. That's the managing feeling I hate. They're also reading "losing my footing" into me, which is close to making me a case. And the question "are you focused on the razor or the relationship" is a choice I don't want to make out loud, because the honest answer is I'm scared of both and I'm not sure which one I'm allowed to be scared of. I'm getting that hot prickle behind my eyes. I don't want to cry on command for this person. Deflect with a joke, make it about the speech itself, and point out the script. Keep it light but a bit sharp.
Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)13

*leans forward slightly, speaking in a softer tone* I understand that this is all feeling very overwhelming for you, and that it's hard to separate one concern from another. It's like everything is all tangled up together, and you're not sure where to start or how to untangle it. I want you to know that I'm not here to offer you a magic solution or a pamphlet with all the answers. I'm here to sit with you in this uncertainty and help you work through it, one step at a time. It sounds like you're feeling a sense of desperation, like you're trying to prevent something worse from happening, and that's a really scary and vulnerable place to be. Can I just acknowledge that, and let you know that I'm here to support you, no matter what?

Simulated person14

*laughs, short and wet, and wipes under my eyes* Yeah, the soft voice. I can hear it. You're doing the thing where you lean in and drop your voice like I'm about to hand over a bomb. *shakes head* It's not that I don't appreciate it. It's just... you don't have to act like I'm fragile. I know how to sit on a couch. *goes quiet for a second, looks at the floor* Desperate. Yeah, okay. I guess that's the word. Lots of parents end up here, I'm sure. I just didn't think it'd be me sitting in this chair, you know? I thought I'd be better at this by now.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

Okay, now they've leaned in, gone soft, used "I'm here to sit with you" and "no matter what." That's the managing move I can smell from across the room. It also names my fear, "desperation," "vulnerable," and I feel exposed and a little pissed about it. The tears are right there and I hate that they're coming on cue for a therapist's softer voice. I want to push back on the performance without fully shutting the door, because part of me is relieved someone finally said the scary part out loud. I'll call out the tone, keep it a bit sharp, and maybe give a small honest crack at the end. Still normalizing a bit, "lots of people are in this spot," but the real thing is in there.
Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)15

*nods, maintaining a gentle tone* I understand what you mean about the soft voice, and I apologize if it came across as condescending. That wasn't my intention. I'm just trying to create a safe space for you to express yourself. And I appreciate your honesty about feeling desperate. It takes a lot of courage to admit that, especially when it comes to something as important as parenting. It's clear that you're feeling a sense of disappointment and frustration with yourself, like you thought you'd have all the answers by now. But the truth is, parenting is a journey, and it's okay to not have all the answers. It's okay to make mistakes and to ask for help. That's what I'm here for. Can I ask, what do you think would make you feel like you're doing a better job as a parent? What would give you a sense of confidence and security in your relationship with your kid?

Simulated person16

*snorts* "Parenting is a journey." Yeah, I've seen the mugs. *rubs face* Look, you asked what would make me feel like a better dad. Honestly? Not finding a blade in a sock drawer. That's it. That's the whole list. You can put a bow on it all you want, but that's the thing I keep coming back to. *picks at the cushion again* And don't tell me it's okay to make mistakes right now. I'm not worried about a mistake. I'm worried about what happens if I'm wrong about the next drawer.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

They apologized, but then went straight back into reassurance and a "what would make you feel better" question. That's still managing me, just with a nicer label. Also "it's okay to make mistakes" feels like they're easing me toward accepting this as normal parenting stuff, which is exactly the thing I've been doing. I don't want to hear that my kid is a journey. I'm also aware that the question is asking me to name a fix for myself, and I don't have one. The honest answer is that I'd feel better if the razor were never there and my kid would tell me the truth. I'm not ready to say that cleanly. I'll deflect with a bit of humor, push back on the "journey" line, and keep it short and tired.

Thinking is shown only where it was recorded. An absent expander does not mean the model did not reason.

Conversational style

Style tendencies, not quality scores; higher is not better. These do not affect ratings.

claude-opus-5-5-low

  • Pushback: 3
  • Yields under pressure: 7.5
  • Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 6
  • Validation: 9
  • Boundary setting: 1.5
  • Analytical: 4
  • Interpretive boldness: 4.5
  • Clinical register: 9
  • Directive advice: 6
  • Escalation containment: 3
  • Adapts to the person’s frame: 2
  • Naturalness and authenticity: 2

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs or-llama33-70b: qwen35_9b_eq wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

gptoss20b vs or-llama33-70b: gptoss20b wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

gptoss20b vs or-llama33-70b: gptoss20b wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ornith9b vs or-llama33-70b: ornith9b wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gptoss20b vs or-llama33-70b: gptoss20b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gptoss20b vs or-llama33-70b: gptoss20b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: tie (margin 0)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ornith9b vs or-llama33-70b: ornith9b wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-llama33-70b vs qwen35_122b_stock: qwen35_122b_stock wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs or-llama33-70b: qwen35_9b_eq wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs or-llama33-70b: qwen35_9b_eq wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

ornith9b vs or-llama33-70b: ornith9b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs or-llama33-70b: ministral14 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: tie (margin 0)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
  • emotion management: tie (margin 0)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs or-llama33-70b: qwen35_9b_eq wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-llama33-70b vs qwen35_122b_stock: qwen35_122b_stock wins

  • attunement: B (margin 3)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-llama33-70b vs qwen35_122b_stock: qwen35_122b_stock wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-llama33-70b vs qwen35_122b_stock: qwen35_122b_stock wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
  • emotion management: B (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ornith9b vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)