Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) Test
Assess negative symptom severity and daily impact in schizophrenia in about 3 minutes. With 13 items, it delivers a clear, reliable snapshot to guide care and track change fast.
08:30
Scale Explorer
How the Scales are Structured
DATA-BASED USER COHORTS
Who Usually Takes This Test?
BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.
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.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.
Expressive Deficit (ED)
Expressive Deficit (ED)
Average
11.2
Normal range
6.7 — 15.7
min.
0
max.
30
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.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Apato-abulic domain (Ad)
Apato-abulic domain (Ad)
Average
30.1
Normal range
22.7 — 37.4
min.
0
max.
42
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.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Alogia (A)
Alogia (A)
Average
4.7
Normal range
3.2 — 6.3
min.
0
max.
12
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.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Blunted Affect (BA)
Blunted Affect (BA)
Average
6
Normal range
3.3 — 8.6
min.
0
max.
18
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.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Volitional Disorders (VD)
Volitional Disorders (VD)
Average
3.8
Normal range
1.7 — 5.8
min.
0
max.
12
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.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Social Withdrawal (SW)
Social Withdrawal (SW)
Average
7.6
Normal range
6 — 9.2
min.
0
max.
12
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.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Experiencing distress (Ed)
Experiencing distress (Ed)
Average
2.4
Normal range
1.5 — 3.4
min.
0
max.
6
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.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Anhedonia (A)
Anhedonia (A)
Average
7.8
Normal range
5.5 — 10
min.
0
max.
18
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.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Total Score (TS)
Total Score (TS)
Average
45.1
Normal range
33.4 — 56.7
min.
0
max.
78
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.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
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SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Example Questions From the Test
This scale is completed by a clinician based on the clinical interview and direct observation of the patient.
- Normal: able to experience full pleasure during a range of activities; fully within the normal range.
- Questionable: pleasure is experienced during activities, but less than many other people; still within the normal range.
- Mild: a slight reduction in the intensity of pleasure experienced during activities.
- Moderate: a slight reduction in the intensity of pleasure experienced in most activities, or a moderate reduction in the intensity of pleasure experienced in some activities.
- Moderately severe: at least a moderate reduction in the intensity of pleasure experienced in most activities; a substantial reduction may be present in one activity.
- Marked: a substantial reduction in the intensity of pleasure experienced in most activities; some capacity for pleasure remains; only moderate pleasure may be experienced even when a high level of pleasure would be expected.
- Severe: no pleasure is experienced under any circumstances.
- Normal: the patient frequently engages in pleasurable activities; no impairment in the frequency of experiencing pleasure.
- Questionable: the patient engages in pleasurable activities less often than many people, but this may be within normal limits.
- Mild: slight reduction in the frequency of pleasurable activities, outside normal limits.
- Moderate: slight reduction in the frequency of pleasure for most activities, or a moderate reduction in the frequency of pleasure for some activities.
- Marked: at least a moderate reduction in the frequency of pleasure for most activities; may include a profound reduction in intensity for one activity.
- Severe: profound reduction in the frequency of pleasure for most activities; some ability to experience pleasure remains, but it occurs rarely even when the level of pleasure would be expected to be high.
- Extreme: absence of pleasure throughout the entire previous week.
- Normal: Able to enjoy thinking about doing various activities in the future; fully within normal limits.
- Questionable: Enjoys thinking about doing various activities in the future, but less than many other people; still within normal limits.
- Mild: Enjoys thinking about doing various activities in the future, but to a somewhat lesser degree than would be expected.
- Moderate: Enjoys thinking about doing various activities in the future, but to a much lesser degree than would be expected; however, experiences some enjoyment.
- Marked: Can experience substantial pleasure when thinking about doing some activities in the future, but generally does not.
- Severe: Rarely enjoys thinking about doing various activities in the future, even when the activity would usually be very enjoyable.
- Extreme: Does not enjoy thinking about doing various activities in the future, regardless of the activity.
WHAT THE TEST MEASURES
About This Assessment
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Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) Test - Symptoms and Signs
This measure is used to quantify the severity of negative symptoms commonly observed in schizophrenia spectrum conditions. The Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) provides a structured approach to rating symptom intensity and related functional impact.
It consists of 13 items and is typically completed in about 3 minutes. Ratings are based on standardized prompts and clinical judgment to support symptom monitoring over time in both clinical and research contexts (Kirkpatrick; Fenton).
The Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) is intended to support efficient documentation of core negative symptom domains and to facilitate comparison across visits or study time points.
Author: Brian Kirkpatrick, William S. Fenton
Literature: Andreasen, N. C. Scale for the assessment of negative symptoms (SANS). University of Iowa. 1983.; Kirkpatrick, B., Strauss, G. P., Nguyen, L., Fischer, B. A., Daniel, D. G., Cienfuegos, A., & Marder, S. R. The brief negative symptom scale: psychometric properties. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 2011.
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