Anxiety Test (STAI)
40-item anxiety assessment measuring both state and trait anxiety separately
Are you generally anxious, or only in specific situations? The STAI distinguishes state anxiety (how you feel right now) from trait anxiety (how you tend to feel generally). 40 items, about 10 minutes. The STAI (Spielberger et al., 1983) separates temporary anxiety states from long-standing anxiety tendencies, used widely in both clinical and research settings.
Two kinds of anxiety
Anxiety isn't just one thing. State anxiety is how you feel right now — tense, nervous, worried. Trait anxiety is how you generally tend to feel across situations and over time. The STAI measures both.
The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) has 40 items total: 20 for state anxiety and 20 for trait anxiety. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale.
What the scores mean
Low scores indicate low anxiety; high scores indicate high anxiety.
About this scale
Charles Spielberger developed the STAI in 1970, with the revised Form Y published in 1983. It's still a common anxiety measure in research and clinical practice.
- Internal consistency: α = 0.86–0.95
- Test-retest reliability: r = 0.65–0.86 (state), r = 0.73–0.86 (trait)
- Completion time: 10–20 minutes
Result Interpretation
After completing the 40 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.