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.

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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.

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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

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

2. Itchy eyes or skin

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

3. Ringing in ears

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

4. Temporary deafness or hard of hearing

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

5. Lump in throat

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

6. Choking sensations

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

7. Sneezing spells

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

8. Runny nose

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

9. Congested nose

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

10. Bleeding nose

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

11. Asthma or wheezing

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

12. Coughing

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

13. Out of breath

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

14. Swollen ankles

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

15. Chest pains

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

16. Racing heart

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

17. Cold hands or feet even in hot weather

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

18. Leg cramps

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

19. Insomnia or difficulty sleeping

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

20. Toothaches

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

21. Upset stomach

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

22. Indigestion

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

23. Heartburn or gas

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

24. Abdominal pain

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

25. Diarrhea

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

26. Constipation

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

27. Hemorrhoids

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

28. Swollen joints

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

29. Stiff or sore muscles

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

30. Back pains

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

31. Sensitive or tender skin

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

32. Face flushes

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

33. Tightness in chest

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

34. Skin breaks out in rash

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

35. Acne or pimples on face

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

36. Acne/pimples other than face

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

37. Boils

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

38. Sweat even in cold weather

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

39. Strong reactions to insect bites

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

40. Headaches

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

41. Feeling pressure in head

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

42. Hot flashes

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

43. Chills

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

44. Dizziness

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

45. Feel faint

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

46. Numbness or tingling in any part of body

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

47. Twitching of eyelid

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

48. Twitching other than eyelid

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

49. Hands tremble or shake

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

50. Stiff joints

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

51. Sore muscles

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

52. Sore throat

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

53. Sunburn

Have never or almost never experienced
Less than 3 or 4 times per year
Every month or so
Every week or so
More than once every week

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:

Pennebaker’s (1982) book, The Psychology of Physical Symptoms, NY: Springer-Verlag
Watson & Pennebaker (1989) article on Negative Affectivity in the journal Psychological Review
Pennebaker (1999) book chapter, on the psychological factors linked to symptoms.
Issues dealing with writing about emotional upheavals: www.psy.utexas.edu/Pennebaker

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All clinical material on this site is peer reviewed by one or more clinical psychologists or other qualified mental health professionals. This specific article was originally published by CounsellingResource Research Staff on April 25, 2011 and was last reviewed or updated by Dr Greg Mulhauser, Managing Editor on February 26, 2016.

https://counsellingresource.com/quizzes/misc-tests/pill/