Social Anxiety Assessments — Free SPIN + SIAS Screening Online
Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) — clinically validated social anxiety screeners. Free in the Mindtalk app.
What this hub covers
Social Anxiety Disorder assessments.
- SPIN — Social Phobia Inventory — general social anxiety severity, 17 items, 4 minutes.
- SIAS — Social Interaction Anxiety Scale — interaction-specific subtype, 20 items, 4 minutes.
- Mini-SPIN (available in the Mindtalk app) — 3-item ultra-short screener for primary-care contexts.
The two clinical faces of social anxiety
Interaction anxiety — Anxiety about one-on-one and small-group interaction. Meeting new people, making small talk, sustaining conversation, phoning strangers, joining group conversations. Measured by SIAS.
Performance / observation anxiety — Anxiety about being watched or evaluated in performance situations. Public speaking, presenting at work, eating or drinking in public, being watched writing, being the centre of attention. Measured by the SPS (Social Phobia Scale) or the general SPIN.
Many people have both, some have only one. The split matters for CBT because exposures differ:
- Interaction-focused exposure: graded conversation practice with strangers, group joining, deliberate small talk
- Performance-focused exposure: graded presentation practice, eating in public, being watched
Under-detection in Indian samples
Cultural norms around social hierarchy, respect for authority, and public embarrassment normalise many social anxiety patterns as "just how one behaves" — particularly in more traditional contexts. Common under-detection pathways:
- The anxious student who "just doesn't participate in class"
- The employee who "just isn't a public speaker"
- The young adult who "just prefers being alone"
- The professional who systematically avoids client-facing roles
Clinical presentation is often delayed until impact is severe (career limitation, chronic isolation, alcohol use as social lubricant, depression from cumulative avoidance).
Routine SPIN and SIAS screening during general mental health assessment catches many cases that would otherwise be missed.
Treatments backed by evidence
CBT with structured exposure — First-line, strong evidence. 12-20 weekly sessions. Two components: cognitive work (targeting beliefs like "they will judge me," "I have nothing interesting to say") and behavioural work (graded exposure to feared situations).
Group CBT for social anxiety — Particularly effective because the group itself is exposure practice. Well-evidenced in Indian samples.
SSRIs and SNRIs — Paroxetine, sertraline, escitalopram, venlafaxine all have strong evidence. Often added to CBT for moderate-severe cases.
Beta-blockers — For specific performance anxiety (public speaking, presenting). Reduce physical symptoms but don't address underlying anxiety.
Behavioural experiments — Structured challenges to social anxiety predictions ("what would happen if I..."). Often produces rapid change when the predicted disaster doesn't occur.
When to see a specialist
- SPIN 31+ or SIAS 34+
- Persistent impact on work, education, relationships, or daily function
- Substance use (particularly alcohol) as social lubricant
- Panic attacks in social situations
- Depression emerging alongside social avoidance
- Avoidance escalating over time
Mindtalk's clinicians with social anxiety CBT expertise work across Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mysore, and online for anywhere in India.
Structured programme
The 90-day Anxiety Loop Breaker programme includes social anxiety CBT tracks with structured exposure hierarchies calibrated for SPIN 25-45 profiles.
Related reading
- SPIN detailed page
- SIAS detailed page
- Anxiety hub
- PHQ-9 depression — depression comorbid with social anxiety is ~50%
- Anxiety Loop Breaker 90-day programme
- Mindtalk's social anxiety specialists across India
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
- Social Anxiety Disorder (previously called Social Phobia) is persistent fear of scrutiny or negative evaluation in social situations, which causes clinically significant distress OR impairment. Common feared situations: public speaking, being watched (writing, eating), interacting with unfamiliar people, sustaining conversation, being the centre of attention, dating and initiating relationships. Affects roughly 12% of adults over the lifespan; 7% in the past 12 months. Peak onset in adolescence.
- How is it different from shyness?
- Shyness is a common personality trait — mild discomfort in new social situations that eases with familiarity and does not significantly impair function. Social Anxiety Disorder is a diagnosable condition — the anxiety is intense, persistent, disproportionate to the actual threat, and either causes clinically significant distress or functional impairment (work, education, relationships, daily activities). SPIN 19+ or SIAS 34+ is where clinical significance typically begins.
- Which test should I take?
- Start with the [SPIN](/assessments/spin) — general social anxiety severity, 4 minutes. If you want to know whether interaction anxiety (talking to people one-on-one) vs performance anxiety (being watched or presenting) dominates, add the [SIAS](/assessments/sias). The pattern shapes CBT exposure planning.
- Why is it under-detected in Indian samples?
- Cultural norms around social hierarchy, respect for authority, and public embarrassment normalise many social anxiety patterns as "just how one behaves" — particularly in more traditional contexts. Clinical presentation is often delayed until the impact is severe (career impact, relationship difficulty, chronic isolation). Screening with SPIN and SIAS during general mental health assessment catches many cases that would otherwise be missed.
- What treatment works?
- CBT with structured exposure is first-line and has strong evidence. Typically 12-20 weekly sessions. Cognitive work targets specific social anxiety beliefs ("they will judge me," "I have nothing interesting to say"). Behavioural work involves graded exposure — deliberately entering feared situations. SSRIs (paroxetine, sertraline, escitalopram) and SNRIs (venlafaxine) are effective for moderate-severe presentations. Combination CBT + medication is best for severe cases.
- When should I see a specialist?
- SPIN 31+ or SIAS 34+ warrants clinical evaluation. Impact on work, education, relationships, or daily function that has persisted for months. Substance use (particularly alcohol) as social lubricant. Panic attacks in social situations. Depression emerging alongside social avoidance. Mindtalk's clinicians with social anxiety CBT expertise work across India.
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.