HIV Stigma Scale (BHSS) Test

Understand how stigma affects a person living with HIV in just 3 minutes. Use results to spot risk early, guide support plans, build trust, and track change over time.

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Questions: 123 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

18,242 views

1,437 completions

1,264 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

9/12

Negative Self-Image (NSI)

Assesses the degree of guilt, shame, and self-blame a person associates with living with HIV.

Low

Moderate

High

3 – 3.8: Low | 3.9 – 8.6: Moderate | 8.7 – 12: High

A score of 9 falls in the High range, suggesting relatively strong feelings of guilt/shame and internalized self-blame related to HIV.

example score

8/12

Public Attitudes (PA)

Assesses how strongly a person perceives that most people hold stigmatizing attitudes toward HIV.

Low perceived stigma

Moderate perceived stigma

High perceived stigma

3 – 5: Low perceived stigma | 6 – 10: Moderate perceived stigma | 11 – 12: High perceived stigma

A score of 8 falls in the moderate range, suggesting a noticeable perception that public attitudes toward HIV are biased or rejecting.

example score

10/12

Disclosure Concerns (DC)

Measures the extent to which a person wants to keep their HIV status hidden from others due to anticipated negative reactions.

Low concealment

Moderate concealment

High concealment

3 – 5: Low concealment | 6 – 10: Moderate concealment | 11 – 12: High concealment

A score of 10 falls in the Moderate concealment range, suggesting a notable tendency to limit disclosure of HIV status in some situations.

example score

8/12

Personalized Stigma (PS)

Measures anticipated negative consequences and fear of judgment or discrimination when disclosing an HIV diagnosis.

Low

Moderate

High

3 – 4: Low | 5 – 9: Moderate | 10 – 12: High

A score of 8 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme concern about negative reactions or discrimination if the HIV status is disclosed.

example score

27/48

Overall HIV Stigma (OHS)

Measures the overall intensity of perceived HIV-related stigma, integrating experiences of rejection, bias, and internalized stigma across domains.

Low

Moderate

High

12 – 23: Low | 24 – 35: Moderate | 36 – 48: High

A score of 27 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme level of perceived HIV-related stigma and its potential impact on social comfort and self-perception.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People living with HIV

46%OF USERS

They take it to understand how much stigma, rejection, or pressure they feel and how it may be affecting their mood, relationships, and willingness to seek help.

HIV clinic psychologists

34%OF USERS

They use it to quickly identify clients at risk of isolation or depression and to plan targeted psychological support over time.

NGO support program staff

20%OF USERS

They administer it to monitor stigma levels in participants and evaluate whether outreach and peer-support interventions are reducing barriers to care.

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.

Negative Self-Esteem (NS)

Average

7.4

Normal range

6.2 — 8.5

min.

max.

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.

Public Opinion (PO)

Average

5.3

Normal range

3.9 — 6.6

min.

max.

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.

Disclosure (D)

Average

8.8

Normal range

7.4 — 10.2

min.

max.

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.

Personalized stigma (Ps)

Average

6.6

Normal range

5 — 8.2

min.

max.

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.

Overall HIV Stigma Index (OHSI)

Average

33.2

Normal range

27.7 — 38.8

min.

max.

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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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

Many of the items in the next section assume that you have told other people that you have HIV, or that others are aware of it. This may not be the case for you. If an item refers to something that has not actually happened to you, imagine yourself in that situation. Then provide your response based on how you think you would feel or how you think others would respond to you. Please rate each of the statements below.

- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree

These are 3 of the 12 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

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WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

HIV Stigma Scale (BHSS) Test - Symptoms and Signs

stigmatization

This brief self-report measure is designed to assess perceived and internalized stigma related to living with HIV. The HIV Stigma Scale (BHSS) is intended to support clinical case formulation and treatment planning by identifying stigma-related beliefs and expectations that may affect psychological functioning and health-related behavior.

Developed by Bruce G. Link and Gregory M. Herek, it consists of 12 items and typically requires about 3 minutes to complete. The HIV Stigma Scale (BHSS) may be used to monitor stigma-related concerns over time and to inform discussions about social support, disclosure, and barriers to engagement in care.

Author: Bruce G. Link, Gregory M. Herek

Literature: Earnshaw, V. A., Smith, L. R., Chaudoir, S. R., Amico, K. R., & Copenhaver, M. M. HIV stigma mechanisms and well-being among PLWH: a test of the HIV stigma framework. AIDS and Behavior. 2013.; Berger, B. E., Ferrans, C. E., & Lashley, F. R. Measuring stigma in people with HIV: psychometric assessment of the HIV stigma scale. Research in Nursing & Health. 2001.