LSAS
Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale
24 social situations, each rated for both fear and avoidance (48 total responses).
For each situation, first rate how much fear or anxiety you feel, then rate how often you avoid it. Items alternate between fear and avoidance ratings.
About the LSAS
The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale was developed by Dr. Michael Liebowitz in 1987 and is one of the most widely used clinical measures of social anxiety. It uniquely captures two independent dimensions — fear/anxiety and avoidance — across 24 social and performance situations.
24 situations, each rated twice (fear + avoidance) = 48 total responses. Originally clinician-administered; this is the self-report version (LSAS-SR). Takes 10–15 minutes.
Scoring
Fear is rated 0–3 (None to Severe) and avoidance 0–3 (Never to Usually) for each situation. The total (0–144) is divided into six severity bands: no significant anxiety (0–29), mild (30–49), moderate (50–64), marked (65–79), severe (80–94), and very severe (95+).
Social anxiety & autism
Approximately 50% of autistic individuals experience clinically significant social anxiety, compared to ~7% of the general population. Social anxiety in autism can intensify masking behaviours and contribute to burnout. The LSAS helps distinguish between social anxiety (fear-driven avoidance) and autistic social differences (preference-driven withdrawal).
Important: The LSAS measures social anxiety, not autism. Social avoidance in autism is not always anxiety-driven. A qualified clinician can help distinguish between the two.
Liebowitz, M. R. (1987). Social phobia. Modern Problems of Pharmacopsychiatry, 22, 141–173.