SPIN: Social Phobia Inventory

The SPIN (Social Phobia Inventory) is a 17-item self-report measure for social anxiety disorder. Items assess fear, avoidance, and physiological arousal across social and performance situations, producing a total score from 0 to 68.

What is the SPIN?

The SPIN (Social Phobia Inventory) is a 17-item self-report screening tool for social anxiety disorder developed by Connor et al. (2000) at Duke University Medical Center. It measures the core symptom domains of social phobia: fear of social situations, avoidance of social and performance contexts, and physiological symptoms (e.g., blushing, trembling, sweating).

Each item is rated on a 0–4 Likert scale (0 = not at all, 4 = extremely) reflecting distress over the past week. Scores are summed across all 17 items, yielding a total score of 0–68. Higher scores indicate greater social anxiety severity. The commonly used clinical cutoff is ≥19, which demonstrated sensitivity and specificity in the original validation

The SPIN is widely used in both research and clinical settings to screen for social anxiety disorder (SAD), monitor treatment response, and differentiate social phobia from generalized anxiety disorder. It is one of the most frequently cited social anxiety measures in the literature and is in the public domain for clinical use.

Three Symptom Domains

The SPIN covers Fear (items related to embarrassment and judgment), Avoidance (situations avoided due to anxiety), and Physiological symptoms (physical reactions to social exposure). This three-factor structure supports differentiated clinical assessment.

Response scale: 0 = Not at all  ·  1 = A little bit  ·  2 = Somewhat  ·  3 = Very much  ·  4 = Extremely

Educational and screening purposes only. Not a substitute for professional clinical evaluation.

SPIN Scoring & Severity Levels

Total score = sum of all 17 items (0–4 each). Score range: 0–68.

Clinical Cutoff Context

The ≥19 cutoff was established in the original Connor et al. (2000) validation study in outpatient clinical and community samples. As with all screening tools, positive screens require clinical follow-up, the SPIN identifies individuals who warrant further evaluation, not a definitive diagnosis.

SPIN Subscales

The SPIN has three subscales capturing distinct aspects of social anxiety.

Fear (6 items)

Distress about embarrassment, negative evaluation, and being judged in social or performance situations. Core cognitive component of social anxiety.

Avoidance (7 items)

Behavioral avoidance of social situations, parties, public speaking, eating in front of others. Avoidance maintains the anxiety cycle and impairs functioning.

Physiological (4 items)

Physical reactions including blushing, sweating, trembling, and racing heartbeat triggered by social exposure. Differentiates social anxiety from generalized worry.

SPIN vs GAD-7 for Anxiety Screening

Both screen for anxiety, but they target different constructs. Choosing the right tool depends on what you need to measure.

Documenting SPIN scores in clinical notes?

SPIN scores belong in the Objective section of your note. See our SOAP notes guide and Intake Notes guide for templates and examples.

SPIN Frequently Asked Questions