BAI questions: 21 items, response options, and timeframe
What are the BAI response choices?
The response options combine intensity with how bearable the symptom was. Wording varies slightly between printings and adaptations, so use the exact wording on the form you complete rather than the summary below.
| Value | Typical response wording |
|---|---|
| 0 | Not at all |
| 1 | Mildly — it did not bother me much |
| 2 | Moderately — it was very unpleasant, but I could stand it |
| 3 | Severely — I could barely stand it |
Notice what the response scale is actually asking
The BAI response options ask how much a symptom bothered you, not how often it happened. This differs from the GAD-7 and K10, which ask about frequency, and it changes what a middle answer means.
A symptom that occurred once but was overwhelming and a symptom that occurred daily but was tolerable can receive similar values for quite different reasons. Answer the question as written rather than converting it into a count of days.
If frequency is the thing you want to describe, note it separately. “This happened before every one of four exams” carries information the total cannot hold.
Should I answer about today or the past week?
Use the period specified on the form. The BAI is standardly administered for the past week including today, though some administrations use a different window, so check the heading before you begin.
A difficult exam this morning does not turn a past-week questionnaire into a measure of how you feel right now. Consider the whole period, including the calmer days.
Record the period alongside the score. A total covering an exam week is not directly comparable in context with one covering a reading week, even though both are valid.
Are any BAI items reverse-scored?
No. Every item is worded so that a higher value means a more intense symptom, and the total is a straight sum. Do not carry the reverse-scoring rule from the PSS-10 across to this questionnaire.
There are also no subscales in the standard scoring. Research has proposed two-factor and four-factor structures, but a routine BAI result is a single total.
Can I skip a question?
A 0-to-63 total requires all 21 responses. An unanswered item is not a zero, and comparing an incomplete sum with the published bands produces a misleading result.
If an item describes something you are unsure about, answer as closely as you can and note the uncertainty rather than leaving it blank. If a professional is administering the questionnaire, ask them how they want missing responses handled.
What if a symptom has a physical cause?
Answer honestly about the symptom, then record the context. The BAI asks whether you experienced a sensation, not whether anxiety produced it. It has no mechanism for excluding other causes.
This matters more on the BAI than on any other questionnaire covered here, because so many of its items are physical. Caffeine, exercise, illness, medication, thyroid conditions, asthma, and dehydration can all produce sensations the items describe.
The right response is not to under-report. It is to mention the context when discussing the result, so that a professional can consider both explanations.
What should I record with my result?
A total without context is difficult to interpret later. Keep enough detail to make a future comparison meaningful.
- The date you completed it.
- The recall period the form specified.
- The total, and the individual items you rated highest.
- Anything unusual in that week: illness, caffeine, medication changes, exams.
- The symptom you most want help with.
This page is educational. A questionnaire score cannot establish a diagnosis or explain the cause of your symptoms. If you are struggling, speak with a counselor or healthcare professional, whatever your score.
Read how to ask for support or find a helpline in your country.