Anxiety Sensitivity Test

Some people are more sensitive to feelings of anxiety than others. Which side of the ‘anxiety sensitivity’ coin do you fall on?

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | September 26, 2023

The Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) is a widely used psychological assessment tool designed to measure the degree to which individuals are fearful of anxiety-related symptoms.

The ASI is based on the concept of "anxiety sensitivity," which refers to the fear of sensations associated with anxiety itself. In other words, some people may experience heightened concern or distress about the physical, cognitive, and social consequences of anxious feelings, fearing that these symptoms may lead to adverse outcomes like loss of control, public embarrassment, or severe medical conditions.

The test has been employed in numerous studies to explore its relationship with various forms of psychopathology and to evaluate the efficacy of interventions aimed at reducing anxiety sensitivity. It is also often used in combination with other assessment tools to provide a comprehensive understanding of an individual's mental health profile.

You can take this test here. Follow all of the steps to receive your results.

Step 1: For each of the statements below, indicate how much the statement describes you.

1. It is important not to appear nervous.

2. When I cannot keep my mind on a task, I worry that I might be going crazy.

3. It scares me when I feel shaky.

4. It scares me when I feel faint.

5. It is important to me to stay in control of my emotions.

6. It scares me when I my heart beat rapidly.

7. It embarrasses me when my stomach growls.

8. It scares me when I am nauseous (sick stomach).

9. When I notice my heart beating rapidly, I worry that I might be having a heart attack.

10. It scares me when I become short of breath.

11. When my stomach is upset, I worry that I might be seriously ill.

12. It scares me when I am unable to keep my mind on a task.

13. Other people notice when I feel shaky.

14. Unusual body sensations scare me.

15. When I am nervous, I worry that I might be mentally ill.

16. It scares me when I am nervous.

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores to people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.

References: Taylor, S., Zvolensky, M. J., Cox, B. J., Deacon, B., Heimberg, R. G., Ledley, D. R., Abramowitz, J. S., Holaway, R. M., Sandin, B., Stewart, S. H., Coles, M., Eng, W., Daly, E. S., Arrindell, W. A., Bouvard, M., & Cardenas, S. J. (2007). Robust dimensions of anxiety sensitivity: Development and initial validation of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3. Psychological Assessment, 19(2), 176–188.