The Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) is a clinically validated self-assessment tool designed to measure the severity of panic disorder symptoms. Unlike some tests that only count panic attacks, the PDSS evaluates:

✔ How often panic attacks occur
✔ How distressing they feel
✔ How much you worry about having another attack (anticipatory anxiety)
✔ How much you avoid places or activities due to fear of panicking (agoraphobic avoidance)
✔ Whether you avoid sensations (like exercise or caffeine) that trigger panic-like symptoms
✔ How panic attacks impact your work, relationships, and daily life

Why Use the PDSS?
✔ Quick & effective – Takes only a few minutes to complete.
✔ Clinically validated – Used in research and therapy worldwide.
✔ Accessible & free – No cost or special permission required to take the test.

This test provides insight into panic disorder severity, but it is not a diagnostic tool.

👉 Take the PDSS Anxiety Test below to assess your symptoms.

How the PDSS Self Report Works (Scoring and Interpretation)

The PDSS consists of 7 questions, each scored between 0 (No Symptoms) to 4 (Severe Symptoms). Your total score helps categorize panic disorder severity:

✔ 0–1: Normal (No significant panic symptoms).
✔ 2–5: Borderline or very mild symptoms.
✔ 6–9: Mild panic disorder (occasional symptoms).
✔ 10–13: Moderate panic disorder (may interfere with daily life).
✔ 14+: Severe panic disorder (frequent attacks, significant avoidance, life disruption).

🔹 What Does Your Score Mean?
A score of 8 or higher is considered clinically significant and may suggest panic disorder requiring further evaluation.

Scores in the teens usually indicate severe impairment, including frequent attacks and avoidance behaviors.

💡 Think of it like a stress meter: A low score means panic symptoms are minimal, while higher scores suggest panic disorder is impacting daily life.

PDSS Anxiety Self-Report Form

Instructions

Several of the following questions refer to panic attacks and limited symptom attacks. For this questionnaire we dene a panic attack as a sudden rush of fear or discomfort accompanied by at least 4 of the symptoms listed below. In order to qualify as a sudden rush, the symptoms must peak within 10 minutes. Episodes like panic attacks but having fewer than 4 of the listed symptoms are called limited symptom attacks.

Here are the symptoms to count:

Rapid or pounding heartbeat
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Breathlessness
Feeling of choking
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea
Dizziness or faintness
Feelings of unreality
Numbness or tingling
Chills or hot flushes
Fear of losing control or going crazy
Fear of dying

How Reliable & Valid is the PDSS Self-Report

The PDSS has been widely studied and shown to be both reliable and valid in measuring panic disorder severity.

Reliability (Does it produce consistent results?)

The PDSS provides stable and repeatable scores, meaning it consistently measures panic disorder severity over time.
It is used in clinical practice and research to track symptom changes and treatment progress.

Validity (Does it measure what it claims to?)

The PDSS is highly correlated with panic disorder diagnoses, meaning it effectively distinguishes between those with and without panic disorder.
It does not simply measure general anxiety or depression—it focuses specifically on panic-related symptoms and behaviors.
The PDSS is sensitive to change, meaning scores typically decrease as symptoms improve with treatment.

💡 Think of it like a medical check-up: Just as blood pressure tests monitor heart health, the PDSS tracks the severity of panic disorder symptoms over time.

Next Steps: What to Do with Your Results?

If your PDSS score is 8 or higher, it may indicate clinically significant panic disorder, meaning you could benefit from professional support.

Your Options Moving Forward:
✔ If your score is below 5, occasional panic episodes are common, but self-care strategies may help manage stress.
✔ If your score is 5–9 (mild symptoms), therapy may help prevent worsening symptoms.
✔ If your score is 10 or higher, working with a panic disorder specialist could provide evidence-based strategies for symptom management.

👉 “Start Anxiety Treatment Today“

Explore More Anxiety Self-Assessments

✔ GAD-7 Anxiety Test – Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screening

✔ PDSS Panic Disorder Test – Panic Disorder Severity Scale

✔ SPIN Social Anxiety Test – Social Phobia Inventory

✔ OCI-R OCD Test – Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory

✔ SMSP-A Phobia Test – Severity Measure for Specific Phobia – Adult

✔ SHAI Health Anxiety Test – Short Health Anxiety Inventory

✔ PSWQ Anxiety Test – Penn State Worry Questionnaire

To provide a comprehensive understanding of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), here are some foundational studies and validations:

Shear MK, Brown TA, Barlow DH, et al. (1997). Multicenter Collaborative Panic Disorder Severity Scale. American Journal of Psychiatry, 154(11), 1571–1575. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.154.11.1571
- Summary: This seminal paper introduces the PDSS, detailing its development and initial validation across multiple centers.
Furukawa TA, Shear MK, Barlow DH, et al. (2009). Evidence-based Guidelines for Interpretation of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale. Depression and Anxiety, 26(10), 922–929. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2760657/
- Summary: This study provides guidelines for interpreting PDSS scores, enhancing its clinical utility.
Houck PR, Spiegel DA, Shear MK, et al. (2002). Reliability of the Self-Report Version of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale. Depression and Anxiety, 15(4), 183–185. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.10049
- Summary: This research validates the self-report version of the PDSS, confirming its reliability for clinical and research applications.
Tibi L, van Oppen P, van Balkom AJLM, et al. (2022). French Adaptation and Validation of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale-Self Report (PDSS-SR). BMC Psychiatry, 22, Article 739. https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-022-03989-x
- Summary: This study focuses on the cross-cultural validation of the PDSS-SR, specifically its French adaptation.
Wuyek LA, Antony MM, McCabe RE. (2011). Psychometric Properties of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale: Clinician-Administered and Self-Report Versions. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 18(3), 234–243. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.720
- Summary: This paper examines the psychometric properties of both the clinician-administered and self-report versions of the PDSS.

PDSS Anxiety Test

Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS-SR) Self-Assessment

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