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Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS)3

Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS) Test

Understand how much you avoid social situations and how distressed you feel around others in about 6 minutes. A quick 28 item snapshot that supports clearer treatment planning and tracking over time.

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Questions: 286 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

24,145 views

2,451 completion

2,030 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

15/28

Social Avoidance and Distress (SAaD)

Assesses the degree of social avoidance and the level of distress or discomfort experienced in social interactions.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 3: Low | 4 – 15: Moderate | 16 – 28: High

A score of 15 falls in the Moderate range, indicating noticeable social discomfort and some tendency to avoid social situations without reaching the highest severity band.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People avoiding social situations

41%OF USERS

They often skip gatherings, meetings, or calls and want to understand how strong their avoidance and discomfort really are.

Clients starting therapy

34%OF USERS

They take it at the beginning of counseling to clarify whether their struggles are shyness, social anxiety, or a broader personality pattern.

Students and researchers

25%OF USERS

They use it in studies or screening to measure social discomfort and avoidance and compare results across groups.

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

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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.

Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SAaDS)

Average

12.5

Normal range

7.3 — 17.8

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

This questionnaire contains a series of statements. Read each statement and determine whether it applies to you. If the statement is true or mostly true, select “True.” If the statement is false or mostly false, select “False.” Respond based on your own view of yourself.

- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False

These are 3 of the 28 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

Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS) Test - Symptoms and Signs

social anxiety

This measure is designed to assess discomfort in social interactions and the tendency to avoid social situations. The Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS) provides a brief self-report index of social avoidance and subjective distress associated with interpersonal contact.

It consists of 28 items and typically requires about 6 minutes to complete. Responses are used to characterize the frequency and intensity of avoidance and distress in social contexts, which may inform clinical formulation or research screening. The Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS) was developed by Debra A. Hope and is commonly interpreted alongside other measures of social-evaluative concerns when a broader profile is needed.

Author: Debra A. Hope, Richard G. Heimberg

Literature: Watson, D., & Friend, R. Measurement of social-evaluative anxiety. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 1969.; Leary, M. R. Social anxiousness: The construct and its measurement. Journal of Personality Assessment. 1983.