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Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ)

Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ) Test

Understand how you perceive and process emotions in about 8 minutes. Get a clear profile of where identifying, describing, or fully feeling emotions breaks down to guide next steps.

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Questions: 408 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

25,233 views

1,552 completions

1,169 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

21/40

Verbalizing (E) (V)

Assesses the tendency and ability to put one’s emotional states into words and communicate them to others.

Low

Moderate

High

8 – 15: Low | 16 – 29: Moderate | 30 – 40: High

A score of 21 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a generally adequate ability to describe feelings with occasional difficulty expressing emotions clearly.

example score

23/40

Analyzing (D) (A)

Assesses the tendency and ability to analyze and explain one’s own emotional reactions.

Low analysis

Moderate analysis

High analysis

8 – 19: Low analysis | 20 – 29: Moderate analysis | 30 – 40: High analysis

A score of 23 falls in the Moderate analysis range, suggesting a generally present ability to reflect on emotions with some situations still feeling hard to make sense of.

example score

19/40

Identifying (C) (I)

Measures how well a person can recognize and identify the nature of their own emotional experiences.

Low

Moderate

High

8 – 13: Low | 14 – 25: Moderate | 26 – 40: High

A score of 19 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting generally adequate emotion identification with some possible difficulty clearly recognizing emotions at times.

example score

26/40

Fantasizing (F)

Measures the capacity for daydreaming and creating vivid mental images and fantasies.

Low

Typical

High

8 – 10: Low | 11 – 24: Typical | 25 – 40: High

A score of 26 falls in the High range, suggesting a relatively strong tendency toward fantasizing and mental imagery.

example score

29/40

Emotionality (A) (E)

Measures how strongly and readily a person becomes emotionally excited or reactive across situations.

Low emotional reactivity

Moderate emotional reactivity

High emotional reactivity

8 – 14: Low emotional reactivity | 15 – 24: Moderate emotional reactivity | 25 – 40: High emotional reactivity

A score of 29 falls in the High emotional reactivity range, suggesting a tendency toward stronger emotional excitability in everyday situations.

example score

136/200

Alexithymia Level (AL)

Measures overall severity of difficulties in identifying, understanding, and expressing one’s own emotions (alexithymia).

Low

Moderate

High

40 – 72: Low | 73 – 110: Moderate | 111 – 200: High

A score of 136 falls in the High range, indicating pronounced overall difficulties with recognizing, analyzing, and verbally describing emotions.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People struggling to name feelings

41%OF USERS

They often feel confused about what they feel, have trouble putting emotions into words, or come across as emotionally “numb.”

Therapy and diagnostics clients

34%OF USERS

They take it as part of psychological assessment to clarify whether emotional difficulties are mainly cognitive (identifying/verbalizing) or affective (experiencing/imagery).

Researchers and psychology students

25%OF USERS

They use it in studies or training to measure different components of emotional processing in a structured, time-efficient way.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Verbalization (E) (V()

Average

16.5

Normal range

12 — 21.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Analysis (D) (A()

Average

24.7

Normal range

19.3 — 30.2

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Identification (C) (I()

Average

Normal range

11.7 — 22.2

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Daydreaming (B) (D()

Average

28.3

Normal range

24.2 — 32.4

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Emotionality (A) (E()

Average

17.5

Normal range

12 — 22.9

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Level of alexithymia (Loa)

Average

140.8

Normal range

113.7 — 167.8

min.

max.

200

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It assesses difficulties in recognizing, describing, and emotionally experiencing feelings. It also evaluates imagination as part of emotional processing.

Who is this questionnaire intended for?

It is intended for use in clinical practice and research with adults. It is often used when emotional awareness or emotional expression is a concern.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

Completion typically takes about 8 minutes. The questionnaire includes 40 items.

How should items be answered?

Select the response that best matches typical behavior or experience, not an unusual event. Answer all items and avoid spending excessive time on any single item.

How are results interpreted?

Scores are reported across five dimensions and as an overall profile. Elevated scores indicate stronger difficulties in the corresponding component of emotional processing.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ) Test - Symptoms and Signs

alexithymia autism

This self-report measure assesses individual differences in alexithymia, including difficulty identifying and describing feelings and a reduced tendency toward fantasy or emotional experience. The Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ) is commonly used in clinical and research settings to characterize emotional awareness and related processing.

It consists of 40 items and typically takes about 8 minutes to complete. Items are designed to sample multiple components of alexithymia, supporting a differentiated profile of strengths and difficulties that may inform case conceptualization or research hypotheses. The Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ) was developed by A. J. Vorst and H. Bermond.

Author: A. J. Vorst, H. Bermond

Literature: Taylor, G. J., Bagby, R. M., & Parker, J. D. A. Disorders of affect regulation: Alexithymia in medical and psychiatric illness. Cambridge University Press. 1997.; Vorst, H. C. M., & Bermond, B. Validity and reliability of the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences. 2001.

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