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PSWQ

Penn State Worry Questionnaire

The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) is a 16-item anxiety assessment for adults. It typically takes about 5 minutes to complete, producing a total score from 16 to 80 where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

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Items

16

Time to complete

5 min

Population

adult

Score range

16–80

About the PSWQ

The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) is a 16-item anxiety assessment for adults. It typically takes about 5 minutes to complete, producing a total score from 16 to 80 where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

First published in 1990 by Meyer TJ, Miller ML, Metzger RL, Borkovec TD, the PSWQ is in the public domain and free to use without permission or fees. With Psyche Assess you can send the PSWQ to clients online, score it automatically, and generate a clinician-ready report in seconds.

PSWQ questions

Response scale
1 = Not at all typical of me2 = A little typical of me3 = Somewhat typical of me4 = Very typical of me5 = Very typical of me (most strongly)
  1. 1

    If I do not have enough time to do everything, I do not worry about it.

  2. 2

    My worries overwhelm me.

  3. 3

    I do not tend to worry about things.

  4. 4

    Many situations make me worry.

  5. 5

    I know I should not worry about things, but I just cannot help it.

  6. 6

    When I am under pressure I worry a lot.

  7. 7

    I am always worrying about something.

  8. 8

    I find it easy to dismiss worrisome thoughts.

  9. 9

    As soon as I finish one task, I start to worry about everything else I have to do.

  10. 10

    I never worry about anything.

  11. 11

    When there is nothing more I can do about a concern, I do not worry about it any more.

  12. 12

    I have been a worrier all my life.

  13. 13

    I notice that I have been worrying about things.

  14. 14

    Once I start worrying, I cannot stop.

  15. 15

    I worry all the time.

  16. 16

    I worry about projects until they are all done.

Items reproduced from a documented, freely usable source. Item wording is preserved exactly as published.

Scoring & interpretation

RangeBandInterpretation
16–39Low worryWorry within typical range.
40–59Moderate worryModerate worry; monitor and consider CBT-based intervention.
60–80High worryHigh worry — GAD likely; clinical assessment and treatment recommended.

Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

Frequently asked questions

How many items does the PSWQ have?

The PSWQ has 16 items and takes about 5 minutes to complete.

How is the PSWQ scored?

Item responses are summed for a total score from 16 to 80, where higher scores indicate greater severity. Totals fall into the interpretive bands shown above.

Is the PSWQ free to use?

Yes — the PSWQ is in the public domain and free to use, reproduce, and translate.

Who is the PSWQ for?

The PSWQ is designed for adult and is used by clinicians, researchers, and integrated-care teams.

Source & references

AuthorsMeyer TJ, Miller ML, Metzger RL, Borkovec TD
First published1990
CitationMeyer TJ, Miller ML, Metzger RL, Borkovec TD. Development and validation of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Behav Res Ther. 1990;28(6):487-495.
PubMed2076086
LicensePublic domain
Source obtained from https://psych.psu.edu on 2026-05-16. Every instrument in our catalog has a documented, legitimate source — never scraped from another platform.

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