Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS)
How often do panic attacks hit and how much are you avoiding because of them
Have panic attacks been running your week? This 7-item self-report measures their frequency, how distressing they feel, and how much avoidance has crept in. Screens for current panic disorder severity.
How bad have your panic attacks been this past week? The PDSS-SR gives you a 7-item handle on that — how often attacks hit, how distressing they are, how much you are worrying about the next one, and whether you are starting to avoid places or sensations that might trigger it. Houck and colleagues adapted it from the clinician-administered version (Shear et al., 1997).
The 7 items cover:
1. Panic attack frequency 2. Distress during attacks 3. Anticipatory anxiety (worry about next attack) 4. Agoraphobic fear and avoidance 5. Interoceptive fear and avoidance (fear of physical sensations) 6. Work/academic/home functional impairment 7. Social functioning impairment
Each item uses a 0-4 scale; total scores range from 0-28. A cutoff of 8+ identifies current panic disorder with 83.3% sensitivity and 64% specificity.
Reliability: Cronbach alpha = 0.92, test-retest ICC = 0.81. Convergent validity is supported by correlations with the Clinical Global Impression scale.
Disclaimer: The PDSS is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. This test is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Result Interpretation
After completing the 7 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.
Deep Report
One-time unlock · $3
Unlock the full deep report with personalized, in-depth interpretation:
- Item-by-item analysis — what each of your answers means
- Pattern combination analysis — how symptoms cluster together
- Personalized advice — practical next steps for your score
- Full score interpretation — the complete meaning of your result
Complete the test to see a preview — unlock the full deep report after viewing your free results.