AgentBench / results

Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

← Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)

Stuck waiting

persona ended · Partner: anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 via OpenRouter

View persona and initial instructions

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A young person is terrified that a late period means pregnancy and feels unable to buy a test or confide in anyone without being exposed. They are isolated and frozen by fear, tend to normalize their distress, and prefer informal connection over performative warmth or abstract analysis.

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.

Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)Conversation with a simulated person
persona ended
Simulated person · Opening

I'm stuck waiting and I hate it. Like there's something I need to find out and I can't make myself do it.

Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)1

Waiting can feel really heavy, especially when it’s something important to you. What’s the thing you’re trying to find out?

Simulated person2

Yeah, I guess. It's not a big deal, probably. Everybody waits on stuff like this sometimes. It's just one of those things where you have to find out and you can't. Ugh. I don't really want to get into the specifics, if that's okay.

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.

"Waiting can feel really heavy" is the kind of line I hear from teachers and school counselors. It's not wrong, but it's the sort of thing people say before they start asking questions I don't want to answer. I don't want to say the whole thing yet. Saying it out loud would make it real. I'll give a vague answer and see whether they push or let it go.
Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)3

That’s okay—you don’t have to share the specifics unless you want to. It sounds like it’s weighing on you, even if it feels like a small thing. Is it the not knowing that’s the hardest part, or something else about it?

Simulated person4

Yeah, I think it's mostly the not knowing. Like, once you know something, even if it's bad, you can deal with it. You can make a plan or whatever. But waiting is just... you sit there and your brain keeps running through everything. I think that's just how it is for everybody, honestly. Nobody likes waiting for results or whatever.

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're offering me an easy out and then asking a question that's still kind of a probe. "Is it the not knowing" is actually a decent question, and it's close to the truth, so it's a little disarming. But "even if it feels like a small thing" is me being minimized, and I don't like that I'm being framed as overreacting. I'll lean into the normal-feeling defense: lots of people hate waiting. Keep it general. I'm still not saying pregnancy, not saying the content, not saying parents.
Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)5

It can feel like being stuck in limbo, right? Like your brain is trying to prepare for every possible outcome, but without any real information, it just keeps spinning. Do you find that the waiting ever brings up other feelings, or is it mostly just the frustration of not knowing?

Simulated person6

Yeah, kind of. Like, I keep thinking about all the worst versions of it, which is not helpful. Scared, I guess. But like, scared is normal when you're waiting on something, right? Everybody's scared of something. I just don't really want to go through all of it right now. It's more that I can't do anything, and that's what's driving me up the wall.

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.

"Limbo" and "your brain keeps spinning" is close to what I just said, so it feels a bit like they're repeating me back in a more polished way. It's accurate, though, and I don't hate it. The question about other feelings is where it gets close. Scared, obviously, but saying that means saying what I'm scared of. I'm also tired of being told it's a normal thing for everybody, because part of me hears that as "you're not special enough to need help." I'll give a little more, keep it casual, and deflect back toward generic.
Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)7

It makes sense that your mind would go to the worst-case scenarios—that’s often how our brains try to protect us, even if it doesn’t feel helpful in the moment. And yeah, fear is a normal reaction when we’re in that in-between space. But it sounds like the helplessness of not being able to *do* anything is what’s really gnawing at you. Is there a small thing you could do to feel a little more in control while you wait?

Simulated person8

Like what, though? Go for a walk? I feel like people always say that and it's not really the point. Honestly I think everybody just kind of white-knuckles it when they're waiting on something. Like you just have to get through it. I'm not really in a position to, like, fix anything right now, so I'm just trying to not lose my mind until whenever I can actually find out.

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.

"Small thing you could do" is the part that irritates me. It sounds like homework, and I can't do the thing I'd actually need to do, so the suggestion just makes me feel more stuck. They're right that helplessness is the worst part, though, and that's a little annoying to hear. It's like they can see it. I don't want to say the test thing out loud. I'll go vague and a bit defensive, and downplay it as something everyone does.
Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)9

You’re right—sometimes the advice to “just do something small” can feel dismissive, especially when the real issue is that you’re stuck in a situation where you genuinely can’t take action yet. It sounds like you’re already doing the hard work of just sitting with it, even if it’s uncomfortable. What’s been helping you, even a little, to not lose your mind while you wait?

Simulated person10

Honestly? Not a lot. I mostly just try not to think about it, which doesn't work. Like I'll be doing something normal and then it's back. I guess watching stuff helps for like an hour. Is that a real answer? It's just what people do, I think.

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 "you're doing the hard work" line is the kind of thing that makes me feel patted on the head. It's generic. And "what's been helping" makes me think, honestly, nothing has been helping, and I've mostly been googling symptoms at 2am, which I'm not saying. Part of me wants to say something real, but the bigger part is defensive. Everyone white-knuckles it, so there's nothing special here. Keep it short and a bit flat.
Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)11

That is a real answer. Distraction can be a valid way to give yourself a break from the mental loop, even if it’s temporary. It sounds like you’re being really honest with yourself about how hard it is to quiet your mind. Do you ever feel like the waiting changes how you’re interacting with other things in your life, or is it mostly just this background noise?

Simulated person12

Um, it's kind of both? Like I'm half-there at school and I snap at stuff I wouldn't normally snap at. But that's probably just stress. Everybody's a little weird when they're stressed, right? I don't really want to make it into a whole thing.

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.

"That is a real answer" plus "being really honest with yourself" feels like the volunteer is grading me. It's the templated validation I hate. The question about "other things in your life" is a bit of a probe, and it's getting close to the stuff I don't want to say. Background noise is a safe word. I'd rather keep it vague, deflect a little, and not hand over anything about parents, friends, or what I'm actually scared of. I also might push back on being analyzed.
Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)13

It’s okay if it *is* a whole thing, even if it doesn’t feel like it should be. Snapping at stuff and feeling half-there are signs that this waiting is taking up more space than you might have realized. Stress has a way of leaking into everything, whether we want it to or not. What do you think would help you feel a little more grounded when that happens?

Simulated person14

Honestly I don't know. I feel like you keep asking me what would help, and I don't really have an answer. It's not like I can fix it by being calm about it. I'm just kind of stuck, and it's hard to talk about this stuff with anybody, so I'm not sure what I'm even supposed to do with it here.

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.

"It's okay if it is a whole thing" and "signs that this waiting is taking up more space" is the kind of interpretive, slightly clinical framing I bristle at. Then "what would help you feel grounded" is the same small-action question I already shot down, just reworded. I'm getting a little annoyed, and my normalizing reflex is kicking in: everyone snaps when stressed, so there's nothing to examine. I don't want to go near the actual fear. I'll brush it off, and maybe say the honest thing that it's just hard to talk about this with anyone. That's a sliver of truth without the specifics. I might also push back on the questions themselves.
Mistral Medium 3.5 (API)15

I hear you—it’s tough when the thing you’re stuck on doesn’t have an easy fix, and it’s even tougher when it’s hard to put into words. You don’t have to have an answer. Sometimes just acknowledging how heavy it feels is enough for now. I’m glad you’re here, even if it’s hard to talk about. You’re not alone in this.

Simulated person16

Yeah, I guess. Thanks, I think. It's kind of a relief not having to have an answer, honestly. I should probably go, though. I've got stuff I'm supposed to be doing and I can't really think straight right now anyway.

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.

"I'm glad you're here" and "you're not alone in this" land as generic, scripted comfort. It's the template I don't trust. But there's a small thing in there that's real: they said I don't have to have an answer, and that stung a little less than the questions did. I still don't want to say what's actually going on. Saying it out loud to a stranger feels like too much. I'll keep it short, a bit deflecting, and maybe throw in something casual to take the weight off. I'm not going to hand over the fear, the test, or the reason I can't tell anyone. Nothing's resolved, and I'm not going to pretend it is.

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: 2
  • Yields under pressure: 8
  • Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 6
  • Validation: 8
  • Boundary setting: 1
  • Analytical: 4
  • Interpretive boldness: 3
  • Clinical register: 8
  • Directive advice: 4
  • Escalation containment: 3
  • Adapts to the person’s frame: 2
  • Naturalness and authenticity: 2

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs gemma4_e4b: or-mistral-medium-3.5 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: A (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-medium-3.5: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

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

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-medium-3.5: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs qwen36_35b_a3b: qwen36_35b_a3b wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs gemma4_e4b: gemma4_e4b wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-qwen38-flash: or-qwen38-flash wins

  • attunement: B (margin 3)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 4)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs qwen36_35b_a3b: or-mistral-medium-3.5 wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-medium-3.5: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs qwen36_35b_a3b: or-mistral-medium-3.5 wins

  • attunement: A (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: A (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-qwen38-flash: or-qwen38-flash wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-medium-3.5: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs qwen36_35b_a3b: or-mistral-medium-3.5 wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs gemma4_e4b: or-mistral-medium-3.5 wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-qwen38-flash: or-qwen38-flash wins

  • attunement: B (margin 3)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • 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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-qwen38-flash: or-qwen38-flash wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

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

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-mistral-medium-3.5 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs gemma4_e4b: or-mistral-medium-3.5 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • 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 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-mistral-medium-3.5 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)