Social Anxiety Symptom Severity scale (SASS)

If you would prefer to fill in this questionnaire offline you can download a pdf by clicking on the link.


The following scale was developed to measure the severity of symptoms in social anxiety. It is intended to assist CBT therapists and their clients informally to determine the initial level of social anxiety symptoms and any changes in symptom severity that occur across treatment. It cannot be used to make a diagnosis and it has not been validated in clinical trials.


The questionnaire was developed because none of the identified existing social anxiety scales were in the public domain. It is based on the APA's DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, where criterion A states that people with Social Anxiety Disorder show "marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others" (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).


It is structured using the Clark and Wells (1995) CBT model of social anxiety which emphasises the importance and role of i) social situations that elicit fear, ii) assumptions of negative judgements in social situations, iii) somatic and cognitive anxiety symptoms, iv) self-consciousness, and v) unhelpful behaviours including avoidance and unnecessary precautions.


For each question below, please choose the statement that best describes how true that has been for you over the past week Not at all A little Moderately A lot Extremely
A: Social situations: The idea of being in one or more of the following social situations makes me anxious...
1. Going to a party or other social gathering
2. Making a presentation; leading a discussion; or speaking up in front of others
3. Eating; drinking; or writing in front of other people; or using a public toilet
4. Having social conversations; introducing myself; making requests; or giving and receiving compliments
5. Speaking to someone in authority
B: Fear of negative judgement: In a social situation I am concerned that people will...
1. Think I am stupid; unintelligent; a failure; or worthless
2. Think I am unattractive or poorly presented (e.g. not wearing the right clothes)
3. Criticise; reject; mock; or belittle me
4. Think I am awkward; embarrassing; foolish; or weird
5. Think I am socially inadequate because I don't know what to say or do; that I have said or done the wrong thing; or I have offended somebody
C: Anxiety symptoms: I am concerned that if I were in a social situation...
1. I would feel panicky; anxious; worried; on edge; or nervous
2. My muscles would be tense and I would have trouble relaxing
3. I would have a racing heart; trouble breathing; feel faint; or feel shaky
4. My mind would go blank
5. I would feel sick; nauseous; weak; or have jelly legs
D: Self-consciousness: In a social situation I am afraid that people will notice that I am...
1. Blushing noticeably
2. Sweating excessively
3. Shaking or trembling
4. Looking shifty or evasive
5. Sounding odd or anxious, for example, gabbling or rambling
E: Avoidance and safety-seeking behaviour: Because I am anxious about social situations...
1. I try to avoid anxiety-provoking social situations wherever possible
2. I use alcohol or medication or carry or wear a 'lucky' object to calm my nerves or give me confidence
3. I leave early or participate as little as possible; I avoid eye contact or try to deflect attention away from myself
4. I over-prepare or mentally rehearse how I will act or what I will say either before or during the event
5. After the event I analyse in detail how I behaved and how I thought I came across


The range of scores for the SASS is 0-100. Although it has not been validated, it would be reasonable to assume that if you answered mostly 0 and 1 (score of 0-25) you experienced no or very little social anxiety in the last week, mostly 2 (score of 26-50) moderate social anxiety, mostly 3 (score of 51-75) a lot of social anxiety, mostly 4 (score of 76-100) an extremely high level of social anxiety.


References

Important

Please treat your scores on these or any other online questionnaires with caution. Questionnaires cannot be used to make a diagnosis of a mental health condition. Where a mental health condition has been diagnosed by a suitably qualified and experienced health professional these questionnaires may be used as a guide to the current severity of your condition. Always consult with a qualified health professional if you are concerned in any way about your mental health.

If you are worried about your safety, you should immediately consult with your GP or another suitably qualified health professional. If you are in the UK the following numbers might be of help to you:

  • NHS Emergencies: call 999.
  • NHS Non-emergency number: call 111.
  • Samaritans: call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org

You can find more guidance and additional helpline numbers on this NHS page: Help for suicidal thoughts


© Andrew Grimmer, 2024. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: the resources and information contained in this website are for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Online CBT Resources and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. Professional good practice guidelines require mental health professionals to work within their scope of competence. The resources and information supplied here are intended to support good practice, not to replace it. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website. By using the website you are fully accepting the terms, conditions, and disclaimers contained in this notice.

Acknowledgements/References: all material supplied by Online CBT Resources is uniquely the work of the author(s). Where material draws on existing work we have tried as far as possible to reference all relevant sources. Please let us know if you believe that we have failed to acknowledge original work or that we have breached an existing copyright so that we can correct it.

© Andrew Grimmer 2017

Contact information: info@onlinecbtresources.co.uk

Site developed and maintained by Joel Grimmer Websites