Social Anxiety Test
A 16-question test of how self-conscious and uneasy you feel around other people, built from two public-domain research scales.
Before you start
Answer based on how you usually are, not how you would like to be. There are no right or wrong answers.
This questionnaire is for self-reflection. It is not a diagnosis.
What it measures
- Self-consciousness
- Social discomfort
About this test
Social anxiety is the fear of being judged, embarrassed or rejected by other people. This test measures it as a personality trait, from low to high, using two scales from the International Personality Item Pool: Self-Consciousness and Social Discomfort. It shows where you sit on that range. It is not a screener for social anxiety disorder, which only a clinician can diagnose.
What the research says
Both scales come from the International Personality Item Pool, a public-domain collection of personality items hosted by the Oregon Research Institute. The Self-Consciousness scale matches a facet of the Big Five, and the Social Discomfort scale matches part of Cloninger's model of temperament. Both showed good internal consistency (alpha .80 and .86), and four statements belong to both. Neither scale has a published clinical cut-off, so the levels in your report are descriptive, based on your average answer.
Research behind this test
Oregon Research Institute
Described the public-domain International Personality Item Pool, the source of the two scales in our social anxiety test.
These researchers and institutions are not affiliated with SelfAssessment.io and do not endorse it.
Questions about this test
Is this a test for social anxiety disorder?
No. It measures social anxiety as a trait, from low to high. Social anxiety disorder is diagnosed by a clinician when the fear is intense, lasts for months and gets in the way of daily life. If that sounds like you, a doctor or therapist can help.
How is it scored?
Each answer scores from 0 to 4, with some statements scored in reverse, for a total from 0 to 64. Under 24 counts as low, 24 to 39 as moderate and 40 or more as high. These levels are descriptive, not clinical cut-offs.
Where do the questions come from?
From two scales in the International Personality Item Pool, which is in the public domain: Self-Consciousness and Social Discomfort. We show the statements in the first person and score them with the published keys.