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Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM)3

Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) Test

Designed for people reflecting on their relationships, the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) Test contains 22 questions and takes about 5 minutes. It explores worries about rejection, criticism, separation, and others’ approval, helping you understand how you respond in close relationships and notice patterns in your emotional reactions.

Questions: 225 minutes

Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM): situation and reply bubbles

October 2, 2025October 2, 2025Material has been updatedOctober 2, 2025Material has been published

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Daniel Hall Psychologist · Test reviewer

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Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

Fear of RejectionFoR

This scale measures how strongly a person worries about being rejected, misunderstood, or negatively judged in relationships.

example score14/24

14/24Moderateexample score

6 – 11Low

12 – 17Moderate

18 – 24High

A score of 14 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme concern about rejection or negative evaluation in interpersonal situations.

Dependence on Others' EvaluationsDoOE

Measures how strongly a person relies on others’ opinions and approval when evaluating themselves and their actions.

example score23/36

23/36Moderate dependenceexample score

9 – 17Low dependence

18 – 26Moderate dependence

27 – 36High dependence

A score of 23 falls in the moderate range, suggesting others’ evaluations matter noticeably but are not the sole driver of self-appraisal.

Interpersonal Sensitivity ScaleISS

Measures overall sensitivity to interpersonal cues and perceived reactions from others in social situations.

example score65/88

65/88Moderate sensitivityexample score

22 – 44Lower sensitivity

45 – 66Moderate sensitivity

67 – 88Higher sensitivity

A score of 65 falls in the Moderate sensitivity range, suggesting a noticeable attentiveness to others' opinions and reactions that may influence social confidence at times.

Interpersonal WorryIW

Measures how much a person worries about potential threats to close relationships, such as conflict, rejection, or breakup.

example score17/28

17/28Moderateexample score

7 – 13Low

14 – 21Moderate

22 – 28High

A score of 17 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme tendency to worry about relationship stability and possible negative outcomes in close interactions.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Anxious social overthinkers

41%OF USERS

People who often replay conversations, fear criticism or rejection, and want to understand how strongly others’ opinions affect them.

Therapy and counseling clients

33%OF USERS

Clients working on anxiety, self-esteem, or relationship patterns who need a quick snapshot of sensitivity to social cues and negative evaluation.

Coaches and helping professionals

26%OF USERS

Psychologists, counselors, and coaches using a brief screening tool to tailor support for clients who seek approval and react strongly to feedback.

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.

Shaded area — where most people score

Dot — the average

You — your score lands on each curve after the test— your score, after the test

Fear of rejectionFor

You?

Average16.2

Typical rangeTypical13 – 19.3

Possible6 – 24

Dependence on RatingsDoR

You?

Average21

Typical rangeTypical17.7 – 24.3

Possible9 – 36

Interpersonal Sensitivity ScaleISS

You?

Average47.2

Typical rangeTypical37.6 – 56.8

Possible22 – 88

Anxiety in UFOsAiU

You?

Average21.9

Typical rangeTypical18.5 – 25.3

Possible7 – 28

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

Below is a series of statements about your feelings toward yourself and others. Please select the response option that best reflects how you view yourself and your experiences. When rating each statement, try to provide an overall assessment of your experiences, which may not necessarily match how you feel right now. There are no right or wrong answers in this questionnaire.

- Completely true of me
- Partly true of me
- Somewhat/partly untrue of me
- Not at all true of me
- Very true
- Somewhat true
- Somewhat untrue
- Not at all true
- Completely true
- Partly true
- Somewhat/partly untrue
- Not at all true

These are 3 of the 22 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) Test - Description and methodology of the test

close relationships

fear of negative evaluation

People seeking a structured way to reflect on social experiences may find the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) Test useful for personal reflection. This interpersonal sensitivity questionnaire examines sensitivity to others’ reactions and emotional involvement across interpersonal situations and relationships, rather than a single type of interaction. Its profile can clarify which aspects of interpersonal sensitivity stand out and provide a focused starting point for self-observation.

What This Assessment Explores

These statements focus on moments when another person’s opinion, feelings, or closeness carries weight. They address rejection, criticism, approval, separation, conflict, concern about hurting others, and lingering thoughts after disappointment. The IPSM questionnaire groups responses into a pattern of sensitivity to interpersonal situations, relationships, others’ reactions, and emotional involvement.

These four displayed dimensions organize the profile:

Fear of Rejection (6-24) measures concern about judgment or non-acceptance and insecurity about disclosure: Low 6-11; Moderate 12-17; High 18-24.
Dependence on Others' Evaluations (9-36) measures the importance of approval and fear of criticism: Low dependence 9-17; Moderate dependence 18-26; High dependence 27-36.
Interpersonal Sensitivity Scale (22-88) measures susceptibility to others’ reactions and emotional involvement: Lower sensitivity 22-44; Moderate sensitivity 45-66; Higher sensitivity 67-88.
Interpersonal Worry (7-28) measures anxiety about conflict, separation, or losing closeness: Low 7-13; Moderate 14-21; High 22-28.

Methodology and Evidence Base

Each item presents four ordered response options, moving from completely or very true through partly true or untrue to not at all true. The respondent selects the response option that best fits their experience; the submitted responses generate the displayed scale results.

Responses generate four displayed results. Their ranges and bands classify the profile, but the questionnaire does not specify each answer's point value. Because this interpersonal sensitivity assessment is self-report, current mood, recent conflict, memory, and openness can affect responses.

The closest published source is Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM; Boyce & Parker, 1989). This is a separate online questionnaire; its wording, norms, reliability, and scoring cannot be transferred from the published IPSM. Harb et al. (2002) examined the IPSM in social anxiety disorder, and Boyce et al. (1993) studied its specificity in non-melancholic depression. Those findings provide context for the construct, not validation of this separate questionnaire.

Interpret the profile as interpersonal tendencies in the situations covered by the items, including reactions to judgment, approval, separation, and conflict. The displayed bands are descriptive categories for this questionnaire, not established clinical thresholds.

Author: G. Boyce, P. Parker

Literature:

Boyce, P., & Parker, G. (1989). Development of a scale to measure interpersonal sensitivity. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 23(3), 341-351. 10.1177/000486748902300320
Harb, G. C., Heimberg, R. G., Fresco, D. M., Schneier, F. R., & Liebowitz, M. R. (2002). The psychometric properties of the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure in social anxiety disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40(8), 961-979. 10.1016/S0005-7967(01)00125-5
Boyce, P., Hickie, I., Parker, G., Mitchell, P., Wilhelm, K., & Brodaty, H. (1993). Specificity of interpersonal sensitivity to non-melancholic depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 27(2), 101-105. 10.1016/0165-0327(93)90082-U

Updated: 2025-10-02