1
Body Perception Questionnaire Short Form
Stephen W. Porges © 1993, 2015
I. Body Awareness
Please rate your awareness on each of the characteristics described below. Select the answer that most
accurately describes you.
During most situations I am aware of:
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
1 Swallowing frequently o o o o o
An urge to cough to
2
clear my throat
o o o o o
3 My mouth being dry o o o o o
4 How fast I am breathing o o o o o
Watering or tearing of
5
my eyes o o o o o
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
Noises associated with
6
my digestion
o o o o o
A swelling of my body or
7
parts of my body o o o o o
8 An urge to defecate o o o o o
Muscle tension in my
9
arms and legs
o o o o o
A bloated feeling
10 because of water o o o o o
retention
Muscle tension in my
11
face o o o o o
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
2
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
12 Goose bumps o o o o o
13 Stomach and gut pains o o o o o
Stomach distension or
14
bloatedness o o o o o
15 Palms sweating o o o o o
16 Sweat on my forehead o o o o o
17 Tremor in my lips o o o o o
18 Sweat in my armpits o o o o o
The temperature of my
19
face (especially my ears)
o o o o o
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
20 Grinding my teeth o o o o o
21 General jitteriness o o o o o
The hair on the back of
22
my neck "standing up"
o o o o o
23 Difficulty in focusing o o o o o
24 An urge to swallow o o o o o
How hard my heart is
25
beating o o o o o
26 Feeling constipated o o o o o
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
3
II. Autonomic Nervous System Reactivity
The autonomic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that controls your cardiovascular,
respiratory, digestive, and temperature regulation systems. It is also involved in the experience and
expression of emotions. The autonomic nervous system functions differently among people. This scale
has been developed to measure how your autonomic nervous system reacts.
Please rate yourself on each of the statements below:
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
I have difficulty
27 coordinating breathing o o o o o
and eating.
When I am eating, I
28
have difficulty talking. o o o o o
My heart often beats
29
irregularly.
o o o o o
When I eat, food feels
30 dry and sticks to my o o o o o
mouth and throat.
I feel shortness of
31
breath. o o o o o
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
I have difficulty
32 coordinating breathing o o o o o
with talking.
When I eat, I have
difficulty coordinating
33 swallowing, chewing, o o o o o
and/or sucking with
breathing.
I have a persistent
cough that interferes
34
with my talking and
o o o o o
eating.
I gag from the saliva in
35
my mouth. o o o o o
36 I have chest pains. o o o o o
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
4
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
37 I gag when I eat. o o o o o
When I talk, I often feel I
38 should cough or swallow o o o o o
the saliva in my mouth.
When I breathe, I feel
39 like I cannot get enough o o o o o
oxygen.
I have difficulty
40
controlling my eyes. o o o o o
41 I feel like vomiting o o o o o
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
42 I have 'sour' stomach. o o o o o
43 I am constipated o o o o o
44 I have indigestion. o o o o o
After eating I have
45
digestive problems. o o o o o
46 I have diarrhea o o o o o
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
