Rejection Sensitivity (RSD) Test: See How Strongly You Expect and React to Rejection
This rejection sensitivity test explores anxious expectations and painful reactions to rejection using the RSQ research model. Get an instant self-assessment and breakdown, with an optional report for a clinician.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
Rejection Sensitivity (RSD) Test is a free, confidential 14-question self-assessment, informed by the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire. It takes about 7 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 3 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
Rejection sensitivity has two halves
Researchers describe rejection sensitivity as a two-part process: how anxiously you anticipate being rejected, and how strongly you react when you sense it. This test looks at both, plus the intense emotional waves that many people, including many with ADHD, describe.
Anxious expectation
How readily you anticipate being rejected, criticized, or left out, often before there is any clear sign. This anxious forecasting is the core of rejection sensitivity in the research.
Intense emotional reactions
How powerfully and painfully you respond to perceived rejection, with a wave of hurt, shame, or despair that can feel out of proportion and hard to switch off.
Coping and behavior
What you do in response: people-pleasing to avoid rejection, withdrawing to protect yourself, or avoiding risks where you might be turned down. The pattern shapes choices, not just feelings.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Based on the RSQ model | Loosely | Yes, expectation and reaction |
| Covers ADHD-related RSD | No | Yes, with context |
| Several angles, not one label | Rarely | Yes, three themes |
| Compassionate framing | Often blaming | Yes, a sensitive nervous system |
| Clinician-reviewed language | Rarely | Yes, reviewed |
| Optional in-depth personalized report | No | Yes, written to your exact scores |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–56 in total. Your result falls into one of 3 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–18 | Low rejection sensitivity | Your answers suggest rejection and criticism do not tend to hit you especially hard. You can take them in stride without it shaking your sense of yourself. |
| 19–37 | Moderate rejection sensitivity | Your answers suggest rejection and criticism affect you more than average. There are real moments where the anticipation, or the sting, gets in the way. |
| 38–56 | High rejection sensitivity | Your answers suggest rejection and criticism land very hard for you, with intense reactions that may be affecting your relationships, choices, or self-esteem. This deserves attention and real kindness. |
How this rejection sensitivity test is scored
This test asks you to rate fourteen statements on a five-point scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree, grouped into three themes: anxious expectation, intense reactions, and coping. Your answers sum to a total score out of 56, and the breakdown above shows how much weight each theme carries in your particular pattern. A total of 0 to 18 falls in the low range, 19 to 37 in the moderate range, and 38 to 56 in the high range.
This differs from how the original Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire is scored. Downey and Feldman's 1996 instrument presents 18 hypothetical situations, such as asking a friend for a favor, and asks how concerned or anxious you feel about the outcome and how likely you think acceptance would be, then reverses acceptance into rejection expectancy, multiplies that by concern, and averages across situations. We use a simpler agreement format so the pattern is easier to recognize in everyday language, while keeping the same two-part structure at its core. If your pattern also shows up as difficulty trusting people or reading their intentions, our Attachment Style Test looks at a closely related piece of the picture.
The bands on this page are descriptive categories for this adaptation, not clinical cutoffs established by the original RSQ research. A high result cannot establish RSD or ADHD, and a low result does not make a painful relationship experience unimportant. The theme breakdown can help you choose examples to discuss; it does not identify the cause of your reactions or compare you with a representative population.
Signs it may be time to talk to a professional
Some rejection sensitivity is part of being human. It is worth a professional conversation when the anxious forecasting or the intensity of your reactions starts making decisions for you: turning down opportunities to avoid a possible no, ending friendships over an unanswered message, or feeling your sense of self-worth rise and fall with how someone responded to you today. It is also worth attention if the pattern travels with a Self-Esteem Test result that concerns you, or if you notice yourself withdrawing from people you actually want close to you.
A licensed clinician can help you build a plan that fits your specific pattern, whether that means learning to ride out the emotional wave, practicing the Boundaries tool's scripts for saying what you need, or exploring whether ADHD is part of the picture. The Psychology.com therapist directory lists clinicians who work with rejection sensitivity and emotional regulation. And if rejection ever brings on thoughts of harming yourself, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available by call or text any time.
Before an appointment, consider writing down what happened, what you expected it meant, how you felt, and what you did next. Include occasions when rejection was clear as well as situations where the meaning was uncertain. You can bring those notes even if your overall score is low. The Psychology.com tests hub offers other self-assessments if you want to explore a different concern.
Does rejection sensitivity mean someone actually rejected me?
A rejection sensitivity score describes your reported expectations and reactions. It cannot establish what another person intended. The original research found that people who anxiously expected rejection were more likely to perceive it in ambiguous behavior. This makes context important: a delayed reply, a direct refusal, and repeated mistreatment deserve different interpretations.
For a situation that feels uncertain, consider noting the observable facts before deciding what they mean. You might ask for clarification when the relationship feels safe. If someone repeatedly demeans or threatens you, discuss the behavior and your safety with a trusted person or clinician. A sensitivity score should never be used to dismiss what happened.
Methodology & sources
This test is informed by the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (RSQ), developed by Geraldine Downey and Scott Feldman (1996), which defines rejection sensitivity as the disposition to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely react to rejection. We adapt that two-part structure, anxious expectation and intense reaction, into plain-language items, and add a theme on the coping behaviors that commonly follow. The items use a standard agreement format. The engine sums responses into an overall rejection-sensitivity score and sorts it into low, moderate, or high bands. It is a self-reflection tool, not the validated RSQ itself, which uses scenario-based ratings.
This test also acknowledges rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), a term used widely in the ADHD community to describe sudden, intense emotional pain in response to perceived rejection or criticism. RSD is not a formal diagnosis in the DSM, but the experience it names is real and commonly reported by people with ADHD. This is offered for education and self-reflection, not as a clinical or diagnostic instrument. Rejection sensitivity is not a character flaw; for many people it reflects a sensitive nervous system shaped by temperament or experience, and it is workable with support.
The original research supports rejection sensitivity as a research construct; its validation does not automatically transfer to this agreement-format adaptation. This page changes the question format and includes coping content. Its score should be used to describe your own answers, without treating the labels as evidence of a disorder or a measured difference from the average person.
References
- Downey G, Feldman SI. Implications of Rejection Sensitivity for Intimate Relationships. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1996;70(6):1327-1343.
- Downey G, Khouri H, Feldman SI. Early Interpersonal Trauma and Later Adjustment: The Mediational Role of Rejection Sensitivity. In: Cicchetti D, Toth SL, eds. Developmental Perspectives on Trauma. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press; 1997:85-114.
- Berenson KR, Gyurak A, Ayduk Ö, et al. Rejection Sensitivity and Disruption of Attention by Social Threat Cues. J Res Pers. 2009;43(6):1064-1072.
- Bedrossian L. Understand and Address Complexities of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in Students with ADHD. Disability Compliance for Higher Education. 2021;26(10):4.
- Columbia University Social Relations Lab. Measures: Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire and scoring instructions. socialrelationslab.psychology.columbia.edu/content/measures
- Downey G, Feldman SI. Original validation study abstract and publication record. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8667172/
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). Rejection Sensitivity (RSD) Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/rejection-sensitivity
Rejection Sensitivity (RSD) Test FAQ
What is rejection sensitivity?
Rejection sensitivity is the tendency to anxiously expect rejection, to perceive it quickly even in ambiguous situations, and to react to it intensely. Researchers Geraldine Downey and Scott Feldman described it as a disposition, not a disorder. For people who have it, an unanswered text or a neutral tone can trigger a strong wave of hurt or fear of being unwanted.
What is rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD)?
RSD is a term used widely in the ADHD community for sudden, intense emotional pain triggered by perceived rejection, criticism, or failure. It is not an official diagnosis in the DSM, but the experience is very real and frequently reported by people with ADHD, who often describe the feeling as overwhelming and physically painful. This test explores the same underlying sensitivity.
Is rejection sensitivity linked to ADHD?
It is commonly discussed together. Many people with ADHD report intense rejection sensitivity, and clinicians often see the two overlap, though research on the exact relationship is still developing. If your result is high and you also notice attention, focus, or impulsivity challenges, exploring ADHD with a professional may be worthwhile. Our ADHD test is one place to start.
Can rejection sensitivity be reduced?
Support can help you examine the expectations and reactions that make rejection painful. A clinician may draw on cognitive behavioral or emotion regulation approaches to work on checking interpretations, managing distress, and responding in ways that fit your needs. Research on rejection sensitivity does not establish that this particular test can predict treatment outcomes. If ADHD is also a concern, ask for a separate assessment.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. Rejection sensitivity is a psychological pattern, and RSD is not a formal diagnosis, so there is nothing here to diagnose. This is an educational, self-reflection tool. If rejection sensitivity is causing you distress or affecting your relationships, work, or self-esteem, a licensed clinician can help, and can also assess for ADHD if that fits.
How many questions are in this rejection sensitivity test?
This test has fourteen statements rated on a five-point scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The original Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire uses 18 hypothetical situations with separate ratings of concern and expected acceptance. This page changes that format and adds coping content, so its total is not interchangeable with an original RSQ score. Take the time you need to consider your usual pattern across situations.
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