Introduction
The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) is a self-report instrument specifically designed to assess the trait of pathological worry, the primary feature of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Developed in the early 1990s by Meyer, Miller, Metzger, and Borkovec, the PSWQ addresses the need for a reliable and valid measure to evaluate the intensity and generality of worry in individuals. The questionnaire consists of 16 items, each probing the frequency and severity of worry across different contexts and scenarios. Participants respond to these items on a scale ranging from 1 (not at all typical of me) to 5 (very typical of me), enabling clinicians and researchers to quantify worry as a pervasive cognitive pattern. This scale has been important in both clinical diagnosis and in research settings, facilitating a deeper understanding of worry as a distinct psychological construct.
Instructions
Read each item carefully and choose the response that best applies.
Scoring and result metrics
The result page reports a local screening score for this questionnaire. Use the score range, any subscale scores, and the interpretation band together rather than treating one number as a diagnosis.
- Score range
- 0-80
- Items scored
- 16
- Result indicators
- Total score / Interpretation band when available
Score interpretation bands
- 0-80Severity score
Higher scores indicate greater generalized anxiety levels.
Interpretation bands summarize screening thresholds from the questionnaire source material. Higher scores usually indicate more of the measured concern unless the tool notes a different scoring rule.
Sources
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