Escapism Severity Scale Test

Understand how strongly you use fantasy, games, or virtual worlds to cope with discomfort in about 7 minutes. Get a clear profile in 35 items to guide support, motivation, and next steps.

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Questions: 357 minutes

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08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

16026 views

1537 completions

1264 likes

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

34/45

Flow State (FS)

Measures the intensity of immersive “flow” into enjoyable alternative activities used to seek pleasure and positive emotions.

Low immersion

Moderate immersion

High immersion

9 – 21: Low immersion | 22 – 33: Moderate immersion | 34 – 45: High immersion

A score of 34 indicates high immersion, suggesting a strong tendency to seek pleasure and relief through deep engagement in alternative activities that may at times compete with real-life demands.

example score

23/60

Alternative Social Reality (ASR)

Measures the extent of retreatist and utopian attitudes toward social reality and the degree to which a person separates real life from imagined alternative worlds.

Low

Moderate

High

12 – 27: Low | 28 – 43: Moderate | 44 – 60: High

A score of 23 falls in the Low range, suggesting generally grounded attitudes toward social reality with limited tendency to split experience into actual versus imagined worlds.

example score

42/70

Dissatisfaction and Avoidance (DaA)

Measures the degree of inner conflict, general dissatisfaction with life and self, and a tendency toward problem avoidance and a passive stance.

Low

Moderate

High

14 – 32: Low | 33 – 51: Moderate | 52 – 70: High

A score of 42 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not pervasive pattern of dissatisfaction and avoidance that may intermittently support escapist coping.

example score

92/175

Escapism Severity (ES)

Measures how strongly a person tends to withdraw into alternative or subjective realities as a coping strategy when reality feels uncomfortable.

Low

Moderate (normative)

High (excessive)

35 – 89: Low | 90 – 114: Moderate (normative) | 115 – 175: High (excessive)

A score of 92 falls in the Moderate (normative) range, suggesting a generally balanced use of escapism for self-exploration and stress relief without a strong pattern of avoidance.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Gamers under stress

41%OF USERS

People who notice they retreat into games or virtual worlds when real life feels overwhelming or disappointing.

Self-growth seekers

34%OF USERS

People exploring their coping habits and wanting to understand whether daydreaming, fantasies, or screen time helps or hurts them.

Mental health professionals

25%OF USERS

Psychologists, counselors, and researchers who use brief tools to assess escapism as a coping strategy in clients or study participants.

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

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

What You’ll See After You Finish the Test

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.

Practical
Recommendations

Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Detected
Insights

Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Psychologist

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

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.

Flow State (FS)

Average

20.4

Normal range

15.5 — 25.3

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Alternative social reality (Asr)

Average

27.6

Normal range

18.7 — 36.5

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Dissatisfaction and Avoidance (DaA)

Average

35.4

Normal range

25.3 — 45.4

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Degree of escapism expression (Doee)

Average

131.8

Normal range

114.4 — 149.2

min.

max.

175

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions left?

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures the degree to which a person relies on immersion in alternative realities as a way to reduce internal discomfort. It focuses on escapism as a coping style linked to dissatisfaction and unmet expectations.

What types of experiences are included in the items?

Items cover habits and feelings related to retreat into games, fantasies, virtual spaces, and other forms of immersion. They assess how often and how strongly this immersion is used to manage tension.

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

Completion time is about 7 minutes. The questionnaire includes 35 items.

How should responses be selected?

Select the response that best reflects typical behavior and experience rather than rare exceptions. Use the same time frame and interpretation of scale options across all items.

How should results be used?

Results provide an estimate of the stability and intensity of escapism as an adaptive strategy. They can inform decisions about follow-up assessment or support related to motivation, values, and behavior.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Method for Measuring the Degree of Escapism Test

Escapism Severity Scale Test

adaptation escapism cyberpsychology

This measure evaluates the extent to which an individual uses psychological “escape” (e.g., absorption in fantasy, games, or virtual experiences) as a coping strategy in response to distress or dissatisfaction. The Escapism Severity Scale is intended to support clinical case formulation by characterizing reliance on disengagement-oriented coping.

Developed by Charles S. Carver and Michael F. Scheier, it consists of 35 items and typically requires about 7 minutes to complete. The Escapism Severity Scale may be used in assessment contexts where avoidance, compensatory coping, or excessive immersion in alternative activities is clinically relevant, with results interpreted in conjunction with presenting concerns and other assessment data.

Author: Charles S. Carver, Michael F. Scheier

Literature: Baumeister, R. F. Escaping the self: Alcoholism, spirituality, masochism, and other flights from the burden of selfhood. Basic Books. 1991.

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