SIAS Test — Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (20-Item Screener)
The Social Interaction Anxiety Scale — the standard measure of anxiety in one-on-one and small-group interaction. 20 items, 4 minutes. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Krishna K R, MBBS MD fellowship in Psyco Sexual Medicine. Last reviewed 2026-09-25.
Important safety information
The SIAS includes a question about thoughts of self-harm (question 9). If you have had any such thoughts recently, please reach out for support before or instead of taking this assessment — you do not need to take a test to deserve help.
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The 20 SIAS items
The scale asks how characteristic each statement is of you in social interaction situations — with strangers, in one-on-one conversation, in small groups, at parties, on the phone. Each item is scored:
0 = Not at all · 1 = Slightly · 2 = Moderately · 3 = Very · 4 = Extremely characteristic
Sample item themes (the scale is copyrighted, so we describe rather than reproduce verbatim):
- Difficulty making conversation with strangers
- Nervousness in one-on-one interaction with someone in authority
- Tension at parties or social gatherings
- Worry about running out of things to say
- Difficulty joining in when others are talking
- Anxiety when phoning someone you don't know well
- Feelings of embarrassment when the centre of attention in a small group
- Discomfort about being introduced to new people
3 of the 20 items are reverse-scored (worded to reflect comfort in interaction, so agreement reduces the total).
Total ranges 0-80.
SIAS severity band table
The 34 and 43 thresholds are the cut-offs commonly used in research; the lower bands are Mindtalk's descriptive ranges.
| Score | Band | What it means | Suggested next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-19 | Low | Typical of community samples | Continue self-monitoring |
| 20-33 | Moderate | Above average interaction anxiety | Behavioural experiments; retake in 4 weeks |
| 34-42 | High (clinical range) | Consistent with social anxiety disorder | Clinical evaluation; CBT with interaction exposure |
| 43-80 | Very high | Severe interaction anxiety | Clinical evaluation this week; combined CBT + medication often indicated |
How the SIAS was developed
The SIAS was developed by Richard P. Mattick and J. C. Clarke in Sydney, Australia, and published in Behaviour Research and Therapy in 1998. It was designed as one of a paired scale set:
- SIAS = Social Interaction Anxiety Scale — anxiety in mixed and interactive situations (talking to strangers, being with people you don't know well, one-on-one interaction)
- SPS = Social Phobia Scale — anxiety in performance and observation situations (being watched writing, eating, drinking, speaking in public)
Mattick and Clarke's clinical observation was that these two dimensions of social anxiety could dissociate — someone might have severe interaction anxiety with mild performance anxiety, or vice versa — and standard single-score social anxiety measures missed this split.
Both scales are widely used together in social anxiety research and CBT trials.
Validation and evidence
Mattick and Clarke's 1998 validation found that both the SIAS and SPS had high internal consistency and test-retest reliability, discriminated social phobia from agoraphobia, simple phobia and non-clinical samples, correlated well with other social anxiety measures but weakly with depression and general anxiety, and changed with treatment while staying stable without it [1]. A 2006 study of 445 people with social anxiety disorder and 1,689 undergraduates supported the straightforwardly worded items but found the 3 reverse-scored items fit poorly [2]. In 2012, Peters and colleagues derived the 6-item SIAS-6 from 456 treatment-trial participants; it performed as well as the full scale for convergent validity, diagnostic discrimination and sensitivity to change [3]. We are not aware of large Indian norm studies.
Social anxiety is one of the anxiety disorders, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with graded exposure is a first-line treatment.
References
- Mattick RP, Clarke JC. Development and validation of measures of social phobia scrutiny fear and social interaction anxiety. Behav Res Ther. 1998;36(4):455-470. PubMed
- Rodebaugh TL, Woods CM, Heimberg RG, Liebowitz MR, Schneier FR. The factor structure and screening utility of the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale. Psychol Assess. 2006;18(2):231-237. PubMed
- Peters L, Sunderland M, Andrews G, Rapee RM, Mattick RP. Development of a short form Social Interaction Anxiety (SIAS) and Social Phobia Scale (SPS) using nonparametric item response theory: the SIAS-6 and the SPS-6. Psychol Assess. 2012;24(1):66-76. PubMed
SIAS vs other social anxiety scales
| Test | Items | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIAS | 20 | 4 min | Interaction anxiety specifically |
| SPS (paired with SIAS) | 20 | 4 min | Performance / observation anxiety specifically |
| SPIN | 17 | 4 min | General social anxiety severity |
| LSAS | 24 situations × 2 | 8 min | Detailed situation-specific mapping |
| Mini-SPIN | 3 | 1 min | Fast primary-care screening |
Use SIAS + SPS as a paired instrument for CBT exposure planning. Use SPIN for general screening + severity. Use LSAS for full situational mapping.
When to act on your SIAS result
- 0-19: No action. Retake if new social contexts (new city, new job, new relationship) arise.
- 20-33 (moderate): Behavioural experiments (deliberately initiating short conversations), self-help CBT, mindfulness for social attention. The CBT Thought Record works well for interaction-anxiety cognitions. Retake in 4 weeks.
- 34-42 (clinical range): Clinical evaluation. CBT with structured conversation exposure is first-line. Book a Mindtalk psychologist with social anxiety experience.
- 43-80 (very high): Clinical evaluation this week. Combined CBT + medication often indicated. Consider the 90-day Anxiety Loop Breaker programme.
- High SIAS + low SPS: Interaction anxiety is your specific pattern — conversation exposure is the CBT priority.
- High SIAS + high SPS: Both interaction and performance anxiety — full social anxiety picture. Both exposure ladders needed.
After the SIAS
- Pair with SPS. Take the SPS (Social Phobia Scale) in the Mindtalk app for the paired performance/observation anxiety picture. Together they guide CBT exposure planning.
- Track over time. Retake every 4 weeks during treatment. Interaction exposure gains are usually visible on SIAS within 6-8 weeks of consistent CBT.
- Screen depression. Social anxiety and depression often occur together. Take the PHQ-9 alongside.
- Structured programme. The 90-day Anxiety Loop Breaker programme includes conversation exposure ladders calibrated for high-SIAS profiles.
- Book a specialist. Mindtalk's psychologists with social anxiety CBT expertise work across Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mysore, and online for anywhere in India.
How to take the SIAS
- 1
Open the SIAS in the Mindtalk app
Tap "Take the SIAS" to open the assessment. You will need a free Mindtalk account — sign-in takes under a minute.
- 2
Answer the 20 items
Rate how characteristic each statement is of you in social interaction situations, on a 0-4 scale from Not at all to Extremely characteristic.
- 3
Get your total and clinical band
Receive a total 0-80 score, clinical band, and a personalised next-step recommendation. Scores in the clinical range route to CBT with interaction-focused exposure.
Related assessment guides
BAI (explained) → GAD-7 alternative
The Beck Anxiety Inventory — the classic 21-item somatic-focused anxiety measure. Learn what it is, and take the free GAD-7 alternative in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →GAD-7
The most widely used anxiety screener in clinical practice. 7 questions, 2 minutes, instant score with a personalised next-step recommendation. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →HAM-A
The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale — the clinician-administered anxiety severity standard since 1959. 14 items, 8 minutes, instant score bands. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →PANC
Are you having panic attacks? Test whether the pattern fits Panic Disorder criteria in 3 minutes. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →PSWQ
The Penn State Worry Questionnaire — the standard measure of trait pathological worry. 16 items, 4 minutes, instant clinical bands. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →SPIN
The Social Phobia Inventory — the standard self-report scale for social anxiety disorder. 17 items, 4 minutes, instant clinical bands. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →Frequently Asked Questions
- How accurate is the SIAS?
- In its original validation the SIAS showed high internal consistency and test-retest reliability, separated social phobia from agoraphobia and simple phobia, changed with treatment and stayed stable without treatment. A later study of 445 people with social anxiety disorder and 1,689 students supported its straightforwardly worded items but questioned the 3 reverse-scored items. Scores of 34 and 43 are commonly used research cut-offs. It screens rather than diagnoses.
- SIAS vs SPIN — what's the difference?
- SPIN is a general social anxiety measure covering fear + avoidance + physiological arousal across mixed social situations. SIAS is focused specifically on interaction anxiety — the anxiety of talking to people one-on-one or in small groups, not the anxiety of being watched (performance / observation). Many people have both, but the split matters for CBT exposure planning. Someone with only interaction anxiety needs conversation exposure; someone with only performance anxiety needs presentation and eating-in-public exposures.
- What are the SIAS severity bands?
- Scores of 34 and 43 are the cut-offs most often used in research: 34 flags probable social anxiety, and 43 is used when higher specificity matters. The 0-19 and 20-33 bands on this page are Mindtalk's descriptive ranges for reading lower scores, not published cut-offs. None of these numbers is a diagnosis.
- Should I take both SIAS and SPS?
- Yes if you want a complete social anxiety picture. Mattick and Clarke designed them as a pair — SIAS for interaction anxiety, SPS for performance / observation anxiety. Many people are elevated on both; some are elevated on only one. The pattern determines which exposures work first in CBT. The Mindtalk app hosts both.
- Is the SIAS validated in India?
- The SIAS is used by clinicians and researchers in India, but its cut-offs come from Australian and US samples and we are not aware of large Indian norm studies. Treat the cut-offs as a guide and read your score alongside how much social anxiety affects your work, studies and relationships.
- What treatment works for interaction anxiety?
- CBT with structured conversation exposure is the evidence-based first-line treatment. This involves graded exposure to increasingly demanding conversations — starting with brief, low-stakes exchanges (asking for directions, ordering coffee) and building toward extended interactions (job interviews, dating, group meetings). Cognitive work targets specific interaction beliefs ('they will judge me,' 'I have nothing interesting to say'). SSRIs (paroxetine, sertraline, escitalopram) work for both interaction and performance anxiety when CBT alone is insufficient.
- How do I take the SIAS?
- Click 'Take the SIAS'. Complete the 20 items (3-4 minutes), receive your total score and clinical band, and get a personalised next-step recommendation. Free in the Mindtalk app.
- What is the SIAS-6?
- The SIAS-6 is a 6-item short form of the SIAS, developed in 2012 by Peters and colleagues using item response theory on data from 456 people in social anxiety treatment trials. It correlated with related measures as well as the full SIAS, discriminated well between people with and without social phobia, and was as sensitive to treatment change. A matching SPS-6 covers fear of being observed.
Need a clinician's read on your results?
A high score is a signal, not a diagnosis. Mindtalk's psychiatrists and clinical psychologists can interpret your results and recommend next steps — same-day appointments available.