Body Sensations Questionnaire

The Body Sensations Questionnaire (BSQ) is a validated clinical measure that evaluates a patient's fear of the physiological symptoms commonly experienced…

Questions: 17
Duration: 5 min
Original title: Body Sensations Questionnaire
Adaptation: Body Sensations Questionnaire
Authors: Chambless, D. L., Caputo, G. C., Bright, P., & Gallagher, R.
Created: 1984

The Body Sensations Questionnaire (BSQ) is a validated clinical measure that evaluates a patient's fear of the physiological symptoms commonly experienced during heightened anxiety. Developed originally for use in panic disorder and agoraphobia, it quantifies the fear of fear, which is the catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily arousal that transforms a normal stress response into a severe clinical event.

By mapping out exactly which somatic symptoms the patient dreads most, from palpitations to depersonalization, the instrument provides clinicians with a precise hierarchy for exposing patients to their physical symptoms. This complements psychoeducation on panic attacks and allows therapists to track treatment progress reliably. Using this scale repeatedly shifts the clinical focus from simply reducing generalized anxiety to systematically reducing the patient's fear of their own body.

Example result

Fictitious result, computed from a sample set of answers.

Overall score

2.824/ 5

The Body Sensations Questionnaire (BSQ) is a 17-item self-report questionnaire assessing the fear experienced in response to physical sensations associated with anxious arousal (palpitations, dizziness, numbness, shortness of breath, etc.). It measures the somatic component of the "fear of fear" characteristic of panic disorder and agoraphobia, and serves as a sensitive measure of change during cognitive-behavioral therapy (particularly during interoceptive exposures). It is intended for adults presenting with an anxiety disorder, specifically panic disorder with or without agoraphobia.

généralemixed · community sample · community sample (volunteer staff from The American University, unselected) · United States · n = 88 · 1988 · Bibb et al. (1988)

2.824

M = 1.8 ± 0.59

généralemixed · general population · normal controls from the original study (1984) · United States · 1984 · Chambless et al. (1984)

2.824

M = 1.52 ± 0.58

cliniquemixed · pathology: agoraphobia · agoraphobic patients with panic attacks, Agoraphobia and Anxiety Program (Temple University) — official clinical norms by Chambless · United States · n = 254

2.824

M = 3.02 ± 0.85

cliniquemixed · pathology: agoraphobia · agoraphobic individuals from the original study (1984) · United States · 1984

2.824

M = 3.05 ± 0.86

cliniquemixed · pathology: panic · panic disorder pre-treatment (Swedish "PP-live" trial) · Sweden · n = 49

2.824

M = 3.09 ± 0.6

Scoring

Mean of the 17 items (1 to 5), total score ranging from 1 to 5, each item is rated on a 5-point scale (from 1 to 5).

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What the test measures

The BSQ isolates the specific physiological sensations that trigger a patient's anxiety and quantifies the intensity of their subjective fear response.

Cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms: Fear of heart palpitations, chest pressure, and shortness of breath.
Vestibular and visual symptoms: Fear of dizziness, disorientation, and blurred vision, which are often linked to fears of collapsing.
Gastrointestinal and somatic symptoms: Fear of nausea, a knot in the stomach, or a dry throat.
Neurological and dissociative symptoms: Fear of numbness, tingling, wobbly legs, and feelings of unreality, mapping directly onto the anxiety experience across mind and body.

It is primarily intended for adults presenting with panic symptoms, avoidance behavior, or severe health anxiety where catastrophic interpretation of somatic cues is central to the clinical picture.

When and why to use it

Clinicians use the BSQ to map the patient's catastrophic misinterpretations and guide behavioral interventions effectively.

Intake baseline: To identify which specific sensations evoke the most intense dread when conceptualizing a panic maintenance cycle.
Exposure planning: To design and calibrate interoceptive exposure exercises based on the highest-rated somatic triggers.
Monitoring change: To track whether the patient's fear of bodily sensations decreases over the course of cognitive behavioral therapy.
Differential support: To clarify whether a patient's avoidance is driven by a fear of external situations or a fundamental fear of internal physiological states, helping to explore the core problem in cognitive formulation.

A validated score provides a robust, trackable measure of cognitive vulnerability, offering objective data beyond a patient's general narrative of their anxiety.

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The questions

Below is a list of specific bodily sensations that may occur when you are nervous or in a feared situation. Please indicate, for each of them, how afraid you are of it, using the following scale: 1 = Not at all frightened by this sensation 2 = A little frightened 3 = Moderately frightened 4 = Very frightened 5 = Extremely frightened by this sensation
1. Heart palpitations
Assesses the dread associated with a rapid or pounding heartbeat, a hallmark cardiovascular trigger.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
2. Pressure or heaviness in the chest
Probes the fear of thoracic constriction or weight, often misinterpreted as a cardiac event.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
3. Numbness in arms or legs
Evaluates anxiety provoked by peripheral loss of sensation or circulation concerns.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
4. Tingling or pins and needles in fingertips
Measures the fear of paresthesia, a common physiological consequence of hyperventilation.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
5. Numbness in another part of the body
Captures the dread of localized loss of sensation outside the limbs.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
6. Feeling short of breath (difficulty breathing)
Assesses the catastrophic interpretation of breathlessness or air hunger.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
7. Dizziness or lightheadedness
Probes the fear of vestibular instability or the sensation of impending syncope.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
8. Blurred or distorted vision
Evaluates the anxiety triggered by visual field alterations during autonomic arousal.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
9. Nausea
Measures the dread of gastrointestinal distress or the fear of vomiting in public.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
10. Feeling of 'butterflies' in the stomach
Assesses the fear of mild gastrointestinal fluttering or initial autonomic nervous system activation.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
11. A knot in your stomach
Probes the anxiety associated with abdominal tension or acute cramping.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
12. A lump in your throat
Evaluates the dread of globus sensation or perceived difficulty swallowing.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
13. Legs feeling wobbly or weak
Captures the fear of muscular weakness and the associated fear of collapsing.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
14. Sweating
Measures the anxiety triggered by diaphoresis, often linked to fears of loss of control or social scrutiny.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
15. Dry mouth or throat
Assesses the fear of sudden salivary reduction during sympathetic nervous system dominance.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
16. Feeling disoriented and confused
Probes the cognitive fear of losing mental clarity, passing out, or going crazy.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation
17. Feeling detached from your body, as if you're only partially present
Evaluates the profound dread associated with depersonalization or dissociative states.
- 1 — Not at all frightened by this sensation
- 2 — Slightly frightened
- 3 — Moderately frightened
- 4 — Very frightened
- 5 — Extremely frightened by this sensation