ASI-3: Measures "fear of fear"—the propensity to react fearfully to anxiety-related sensations based on the belief that they have harmful consequences.
Self-Report Inventory (0/18)
1. It is important to me not to appear nervous.
2. When I cannot keep my mind on a task, I worry that I might be going crazy.
3. It scares me when my heart beats rapidly.
4. When my stomach is upset, I worry that I might be seriously ill.
5. It scares me when I am unable to keep my mind on a task.
6. It scares me when I tremble in the presence of others.
7. When I am short of breath, I worry that I will stop breathing.
8. When my stomach makes noise, I worry that I will get sick in front of others.
9. I worry that other people will notice my anxiety.
10. When I have trouble thinking clearly, I worry that there is something wrong with me.
11. I worry that I might look like a fool when I am in front of others.
12. When I feel "shaky" (trembling), I worry that I might have a neurological disease.
13. I worry that I might do something embarrassing when I am in front of others.
14. When I am confused, I worry that I might be going crazy.
15. When my heart is beating rapidly, I worry that I might have a heart attack.
16. When I have trouble concentrating, I worry that I might be losing my mind.
17. I worry that I might appear "weird" to others.
18. When I am confused, I worry that I have a mental illness.
Guidelines & Evidence
Clinical Details
Section 1
When to Use
When to Use
Screening for vulnerability to panic disorder and agoraphobia
Differential assessment of the "fear of fear" across three domains: Physical, Cognitive, and Social
Predicting treatment response in anxiety disorders (especially CBT)
Evaluation of panic-prone behaviors in clinical psychiatric patients
Section 2
Formula & Logic
Scoring Logic
18 self-report items rated 0 (Very little) to 4 (Very much). Total score ranges from 0 to 72. Items are divided into three sub-scales (6 items each): Physical Concerns, Cognitive Concerns, and Social Concerns.
Domain Scoring
Physical Concerns
Items 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 15
Cognitive Concerns
Items 2, 5, 10, 14, 16, 18
Social Concerns
Items 1, 6, 9, 11, 13, 17
Section 3
Evidence Appraisal
Validation
Robust dimensions of anxiety sensitivity: development and initial validation of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3.
Taylor S et al. • Psychol Assess.. 2007;19(2):176-88. Redefined the constructs of anxiety sensitivity with superior psychometric properties over the original ASI.
