This test focuses on a single axis of attachment: relational anxiety, meaning how much fear you feel about being left, and how much reassurance you need to feel secure in a relationship.
- Low: closeness doesn't depend on constantly checking that the other person is still there.
- Moderate: there are moments of worry, but not a dominant pattern.
- High: the need for reassurance and the fear of abandonment shape a good part of your relationships.
15 statements, about 3-4 minutes. If you want a full map of your attachment style (including the avoidance axis), you can follow up with the full attachment style test.
All possible results
Low Anxious Attachment
The need for constant reassurance and the fear of being left don't seem to significantly shape your relationships.
Read more about Low Anxious Attachment
“A low score doesn't mean indifference: it means closeness doesn't depend, most of the time, on constantly checking that the other person is still there.”
What this score means
In general you don't need constant signals that you matter to the other person to feel secure in the relationship. You can tolerate some distance (a message that goes unanswered for a while, a plan without you) without your sense of ease depending on it.
How it shows up day to day
- You don't repeatedly check your phone waiting for a reply.
- An argument doesn't automatically make you fear the relationship will fall apart completely.
- You enjoy a good moment without an underlying question of how long it will last.
An important note
This result is orientation-only and informational, inspired by Bowlby and Ainsworth's attachment theory and later research on the topic: it isn't a diagnosis and doesn't replace a mental health professional's evaluation.
Moderate Anxious Attachment
There are moments when you need reassurance or worry about the other person's availability, though it isn't a pattern that dominates every relationship.
Read more about Moderate Anxious Attachment
“Sometimes worrying about whether you matter to someone isn't the same as living preoccupied by it: the difference is in how often it happens, and whether that worry settles with a reasonable response.”
What this score means
Your answers show some need for reassurance, perhaps more pronounced in one particular relationship than others, without amounting to a constant alarm. It's common for this pattern to intensify during moments of greater uncertainty (a new relationship, an unstable period) and ease off at other times.
How it shows up day to day
- It bothers you more than you'd expect when someone takes a while to reply, even if you don't say so.
- Silence or a neutral tone can trigger occasional doubts about how the relationship is going.
- You recover from those doubts within a reasonable time, without settling into them.
An important note
This result is orientation-only and informational, inspired by Bowlby and Ainsworth's attachment theory and later research on the topic: it isn't a diagnosis and doesn't replace a mental health professional's evaluation.
High Anxious Attachment
You seek closeness and reassurance often, and the fear of being left seems to shape a good part of your close relationships.
Read more about High Anxious Attachment
“When the worry about losing someone takes up more space than the enjoyment of having them close, the attachment system has been running in alarm mode for a while.”
What this score means
Your answers point to a fairly pronounced pattern of what attachment theory calls hyperactivation: the relational alarm system fires easily at ambiguous signals and is hard to switch off, even when the relationship is, in practice, stable.
How it shows up day to day
- You actively look for confirmation that you still matter to the other person.
- An argument can feel like a threat to the entire relationship, not a one-off disagreement.
- You've adjusted your own plans or routines to lower the risk of the other person pulling away.
Where it tends to come from
Bowlby linked it to inconsistent caregiving: caregivers who were sometimes available and sometimes not, with no predictability. A recent review of research on attachment and loss (Fernández Pérez et al., 2022, Revista de Psicología de la Salud) found that anxious attachment is associated with more yearning-related thoughts and greater difficulty accepting a loss, a pattern consistent with the difficulty tolerating distance these questions describe.
An important note
This result is orientation-only and informational, inspired by Bowlby and Ainsworth's attachment theory and later research on the topic: it isn't a diagnosis and doesn't replace a mental health professional's evaluation.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the full attachment style test?
This test measures only the relational anxiety axis, with more questions focused specifically on that trait. The full attachment style test crosses anxiety and avoidance to place you in one of four styles (secure, anxious, avoidant, or disorganized).
Does a high score mean I have a disorder?
No. Anxious attachment is a relational pattern described by attachment psychology, not a clinical category or diagnosis. It's orientation-only and informational.
Does anxious attachment only show up in romantic relationships?
Not necessarily: it can also show up in close friendships or family. When answering, think about your usual pattern in close relationships, not just one specific one.
Can anxious attachment be reduced?
The attachment literature describes the style as malleable, not fixed: stable relationships, communicating a need directly instead of through indirect proof-seeking, and in some cases professional support, are linked to a lower need for constant reassurance over time.
How long does the test take?
Between 3 and 4 minutes: 15 statements with five answer options each.
Is it free?
Yes, it's completely free: no sign-up or payment needed to take the test and see your result.