Welcome to the Pennebaker Inventory of Limbic Languidness

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This 54-question self-test measures people’s tendency to notice and report a broad array of physical symptoms and sensations. Those with high symptom reports tend to be more nervous, distressed, and unhappy.

Completing this Psychological Screening Test

The questionnaire includes a list of 54 common physical symptoms and sensations. Please select from the menu of buttons after each, how frequently you have experienced that symptom or sensation.

Take the Quiz

Please note: This test will only be scored correctly if you answer each one of the questions. Please also check our disclaimer on psychological testing and our psychological testing privacy guarantee.

1. Eyes water

2. Itchy eyes or skin

3. Ringing in ears

4. Temporary deafness or hard of hearing

5. Lump in throat

6. Choking sensations

7. Sneezing spells

8. Runny nose

9. Congested nose

10. Bleeding nose

11. Asthma or wheezing

12. Coughing

13. Out of breath

14. Swollen ankles

15. Chest pains

16. Racing heart

17. Cold hands or feet even in hot weather

18. Leg cramps

19. Insomnia or difficulty sleeping

20. Toothaches

21. Upset stomach

22. Indigestion

23. Heartburn or gas

24. Abdominal pain

25. Diarrhea

26. Constipation

27. Hemorrhoids

28. Swollen joints

29. Stiff or sore muscles

30. Back pains

31. Sensitive or tender skin

32. Face flushes

33. Tightness in chest

34. Skin breaks out in rash

35. Acne or pimples on face

36. Acne/pimples other than face

37. Boils

38. Sweat even in cold weather

39. Strong reactions to insect bites

40. Headaches

41. Feeling pressure in head

42. Hot flashes

43. Chills

44. Dizziness

45. Feel faint

46. Numbness or tingling in any part of body

47. Twitching of eyelid

48. Twitching other than eyelid

49. Hands tremble or shake

50. Stiff joints

51. Sore muscles

52. Sore throat

53. Sunburn

54. Nausea


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About Scoring this Psychological Questionnaire

Scoring:

  • 0 points Have never or almost never experienced
  • 1 point Less than 3 or 4 times per year
  • 2 points Every month or so
  • 3 points Every week or so
  • 4 points More than once every week

Scores on the PILL can range from 0 to 216, although most people generally score between about 34 to 84 (the mean is 59 with a standard deviation of 25).

When your quiz is scored, one of 4 different information pages will appear to describe the results for scores in your range.

Screening test scoring ranges:

  • 0 to 21, Below Normal Range
  • 22 to 66, Well Within Normal Range
  • 67 to 84, Slightly Above Average, Within Normal Range
  • 85 or Above, Top 25 Percent

The PILL has been used in a large number of medical and psychological studies to understand the nature of symptom reporting. People who report a large number of physical symptoms tend to go to physicians at higher rates, suggesting that their health is worse. Many high symptom reporters, however, are objectively as healthy as low symptom reporters. Interestingly, high symptom reports tend to be more nervous, distressed, and unhappy. They are more likely to have had major upheavals in their childhoods and tend to keep these upheavals secret. Several studies have found that people who are asked to write about emotional upheavals in their lives tend to show drops in symptom reports in the weeks and months afterwards. Physical symptoms, then, reflect people’s psychological states almost as much as they say something about their biological condition.

Additional Information

If you would like to learn more about questionnaires such as the PILL, check out some of the following links:

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