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.
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
| 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 Mattick and J. Clarke at the University of New South Wales in 1998 (Behaviour Research and Therapy, 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.
The 20 items were selected through factor analysis to load on the interaction factor specifically, distinct from the performance factor captured by SPS. Both scales have been used in most social anxiety CBT trials since 2000 and are the recommended paired instrument in Australian and UK NICE social anxiety guidelines.
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 co-occur in ~50% of cases. Take 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How accurate is the SIAS?
- The SIAS has excellent psychometric properties — internal consistency around 0.86-0.94, high test-retest reliability, and demonstrated ability to discriminate social anxiety disorder from other anxiety disorders. A cut-off of 34 has good sensitivity for clinical social anxiety; a cut-off of 43 has higher specificity. It has been used in most social anxiety CBT and medication trials and is frequently paired with the SPS (Social Phobia Scale) to give a full interaction + performance anxiety picture.
- 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?
- Standard bands from Mattick and Clarke's validation: 0-19 low, 20-33 moderate, 34-42 high (clinical range), 43+ very high. The 34 cut-off is used in most clinical settings for a positive social anxiety screen; the 43 cut-off is used when higher specificity matters (e.g. research inclusion criteria).
- 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?
- Yes. The SIAS has been used in Indian psychiatric and psychological research since 2005 and translated into Hindi, Kannada, and Tamil. It is used at NIMHANS, AIIMS, Cadabams, and specialist anxiety clinics. Indian norms are broadly similar to Western norms; the 34+ cut-off works in Indian samples.
- 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.
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.