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Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ)

Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) Test

Understand how well you identify and describe your emotions in about 5 minutes. A 24 item check of positive and negative feelings that supports clearer communication and better treatment planning.

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Questions: 245 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

26,653 views

2,593 completions

2,119 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

129/168

Overall Alexithymia (OA)

Measures overall difficulty identifying, evaluating, and expressing both negative and positive emotions.

Lower alexithymia

Moderate alexithymia

Higher alexithymia

24 – 71: Lower alexithymia | 72 – 119: Moderate alexithymia | 120 – 168: Higher alexithymia

A score of 129 falls in the Higher alexithymia range, indicating pronounced difficulty attending to, making sense of, and putting words to emotional experiences.

example score

10/56

Negative-Difficulty Identifying Feelings (N-DIF) (NDIFD)

Measures how difficult it is to identify, understand, and distinguish your own negative emotions.

Low difficulty

Moderate difficulty

High difficulty

0 – 18: Low difficulty | 19 – 37: Moderate difficulty | 38 – 56: High difficulty

A score of 10 suggests low difficulty identifying and differentiating negative feelings, with generally clear awareness of negative emotional states.

example score

30/56

Positive Difficulty Identifying Feelings (P-DIF) (PDIFD)

Measures how difficult it is to identify, understand, and differentiate your own positive emotions.

Low difficulty

Moderate difficulty

High difficulty

0 – 18: Low difficulty | 19 – 37: Moderate difficulty | 38 – 56: High difficulty

A score of 30 indicates a moderate level of difficulty recognizing and clearly distinguishing positive feelings.

example score

28/56

Negative-Difficulty Describing Feelings (N-DDF) (NDDFD)

Measures difficulty describing and verbally expressing one’s own negative emotions.

Low difficulty

Moderate difficulty

High difficulty

0 – 18: Low difficulty | 19 – 37: Moderate difficulty | 38 – 56: High difficulty

A score of 28 falls in the Moderate difficulty range, suggesting some challenges putting negative feelings into words while still being able to describe them at times.

example score

28/56

Positive Difficulty Describing Feelings (P-DDF) (PDDFD)

Measures how difficult it is for a person to describe and communicate their own positive emotions in words.

Low difficulty

Moderate difficulty

High difficulty

0 – 18: Low difficulty | 19 – 37: Moderate difficulty | 38 – 56: High difficulty

A score of 28 indicates a moderate level of difficulty putting positive feelings into words and conveying them clearly.

example score

16/56

Externally Oriented Thinking (G-EOT) (EOTE)

Measures the tendency to focus attention away from one’s own emotions and toward external events or practical details.

Low externally-oriented thinking

Moderate externally-oriented thinking

High externally-oriented thinking

8 – 23: Low externally-oriented thinking | 24 – 39: Moderate externally-oriented thinking | 40 – 56: High externally-oriented thinking

A score of 16 falls in the low range, suggesting you are relatively likely to notice and reflect on your emotions rather than consistently focusing outward.

example score

40/56

Difficulty Identifying Feelings (G-DIF) (DIFD)

Measures how difficult it is to identify, understand, and differentiate your own emotions (both negative and positive).

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 18: Low | 19 – 37: Moderate | 38 – 56: High

A score of 40 falls in the High range, suggesting pronounced difficulty recognizing and distinguishing your feelings across positive and negative emotions.

example score

35/56

Difficulty Describing Feelings (G-DDF) (DDFD)

Assesses how difficult it is to put one’s emotions into words, for both negative and positive feelings.

Low difficulty

Moderate difficulty

High difficulty

0 – 18: Low difficulty | 19 – 37: Moderate difficulty | 38 – 56: High difficulty

A score of 35 falls in the Moderate difficulty range, suggesting noticeable but not extreme challenges describing and expressing emotions in words.

example score

22/56

Negative Difficulty Appraising Feelings (N-DAF) (NDAFD)

Measures how difficult it is to identify and describe your own negative emotions.

Low difficulty

Moderate difficulty

High difficulty

0 – 18: Low difficulty | 19 – 37: Moderate difficulty | 38 – 56: High difficulty

A score of 22 falls in the Moderate difficulty range, suggesting some challenges recognizing and putting negative feelings into words.

example score

49/56

Positive Difficulty Appraising Feelings (P-DAF) (PDAFD)

Assesses how difficult it is to identify and describe one’s own positive emotions.

Low difficulty

Moderate difficulty

High difficulty

0 – 18: Low difficulty | 19 – 37: Moderate difficulty | 38 – 56: High difficulty

A score of 49 falls in the High difficulty range, suggesting notable challenges recognizing and putting positive feelings into words.

example score

52/112

Difficulty Appraising Feelings (G-DAF) (DAFD)

Assesses overall difficulty identifying and describing both negative and positive feelings.

Low difficulty

Moderate difficulty

High difficulty

16 – 47: Low difficulty | 48 – 79: Moderate difficulty | 80 – 112: High difficulty

A score of 52 falls in the Moderate difficulty range, suggesting noticeable but not severe challenges recognizing and expressing feelings overall.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People who feel emotionally stuck

41%OF USERS

They often sense something is wrong but struggle to name or explain what they feel, especially under stress.

Therapy and counseling clients

34%OF USERS

They take it to clarify patterns in identifying and describing emotions so treatment goals can be more targeted.

Students and research participants

25%OF USERS

They complete it as part of a study or screening to measure emotional awareness for both positive and negative feelings.

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.

Overall Level of Alexithymia (OLoA)

Average

127.3

Normal range

108 — 146.6

min.

max.

168

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 of Negative Feelings (N-DIF) (IoNF()

Average

26.7

Normal range

17.7 — 35.7

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 of Positive Feelings (P-DIF) (IoPF()

Average

31.6

Normal range

24.1 — 39

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.

Description of Negative Feelings (N-DDF) (DoNF()

Average

23.8

Normal range

13.7 — 33.9

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.

Description of Positive Feelings (P-DDF) (DoPF()

Average

36.9

Normal range

29 — 44.8

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.

Externally-Oriented Thinking (G-EOT) (ET()

Average

37.5

Normal range

31.6 — 43.3

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.

Difficulties with Identification (G-DIF) (DwI()

Average

32.4

Normal range

23.4 — 41.5

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.

Difficulties with Description (G-DDF) (DwD()

Average

Normal range

15.5 — 36.4

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.

Assessment of Negative Feelings (N-DAF) (AoNF()

Average

33.1

Normal range

24.8 — 41.4

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.

Assessment of Positive Feelings (P-DAF) (AoPF()

Average

38.9

Normal range

31.7 — 46.1

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.

Assessment of All Feelings (G-DAF) (AoAF()

Average

Normal range

48.5 — 83.4

min.

max.

112

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 measures difficulties identifying and describing feelings and the level of emotional reactivity. It covers responses to both negative and positive emotions.

Who is this questionnaire intended for?

It is intended for adolescents and adults. It is used in clinical and research settings to assess emotional awareness.

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

Completion typically takes about 5 minutes. The standard form includes 24 items.

How should items be answered?

Select the response option that best matches typical experiences rather than rare events. Answer all items using first impressions and avoid overthinking.

What is the short form used for?

The short form is used when a brief screening is needed. It provides a quick summary while retaining coverage of key emotional awareness features.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) Test - Symptoms and Signs

alexithymia autism

This measure assesses individual differences in alexithymia, including difficulties identifying and describing one’s own emotions across positive and negative affect. The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) is a self-report instrument developed by James N. D. Parker, David Preece, and Graeme J. Taylor.

The instrument contains 24 items and typically requires about 5 minutes to complete. It is intended for use in clinical and research settings to support screening and characterization of emotion awareness and expression; results are generally interpreted in conjunction with other assessment data and clinical judgment.

The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) yields information relevant to key components of alexithymia, such as difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and related features of emotional processing.

Author: David Preece, Graeme J. Taylor, James N. D. Parker

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.; Preece, D., Becerra, R., Robinson, K., Dandy, J., & Allan, A. The psychometric assessment of alexithymia: Development and validation of the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences. 2018.; Bagby, R. M., Parker, J. D. A., & Taylor, G. J. The twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale—I. Item selection and cross-validation of the factor structure. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 1994.; Preece, D., Mehta, A., Petrova, K., Sikka, P., Bjureberg, J., Chen, W., Becerra, R., Allan, A., Robinson, K., & Gross, J. J. The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S): A 6-item measure of alexithymia. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2023.

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