PHQ-9 & GAD-7 Check-ins
The two short questionnaires most often used in primary care and therapy to track depression and anxiety symptoms. Answer them every two weeks or so and watch your scores over time — a clear, shared language for talking with your clinician.
These are screening questionnaires, not a diagnosis. A score is a starting point for a conversation with a doctor or therapist.
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How the scores work, and where the questionnaires come from
Each answer scores 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), and the answers are added up. PHQ-9 totals run 0–27: 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, 15–19 moderately severe, 20–27 severe. GAD-7 totals run 0–21: 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, 15–21 severe. The final question about day-to-day difficulty isn't part of the score.
Change over time. Scores wobble from week to week. NHS Talking Therapies treats a change of at least 6 points on the PHQ-9, or 4 on the GAD-7, as a reliable change rather than noise, and uses 10 (PHQ-9) and 8 (GAD-7) as the clinical thresholds. The history uses the same figures.
About question 9. If you answer anything other than "Not at all" to the question about thoughts of being better off dead or hurting yourself, the page shows free, confidential support straight away. Please tell your doctor or therapist about it too, whatever your total score.
The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were developed by Drs. Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke and colleagues, with an educational grant from Pfizer Inc. No permission is required to reproduce, translate, display or distribute them. They are reproduced here word for word.
What a score can and can't tell you
The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 ask how often you've been bothered by common symptoms over the last two weeks. They're quick, well studied and widely used — which makes them useful for noticing change and for putting words to how things have been. They can't diagnose depression or an anxiety disorder on their own; that takes a conversation with a qualified professional who can consider everything else going on.
A low score doesn't mean you shouldn't seek help if you're struggling, and a high score isn't a verdict. Both are information worth sharing.
Using them with a therapist
Many therapists ask for these every session or every few weeks. Doing them here keeps your own history in one place, so you can see the trend together. The mood journal's session summary includes your latest scores and the change since the first one in the dates you choose.
Clinicians: the reliable change calculator works out whether a change between two scores is reliable, without entering anything about the person.
Related
The guide to measuring progress in therapy explains reliable change and clinical thresholds in plain words.
Questions people actually ask
How often should I do a check-in?
Every two weeks matches the questions, which ask about the last two weeks. Some therapists use them every session; doing them more often than weekly adds little.
What does a PHQ-9 score of 10 mean?
10 is the start of the moderate range, and a common threshold at which clinicians look more closely. It's a reason to talk to a doctor or therapist, not a diagnosis.
Is my score sent anywhere?
No. It's scored in your browser and, if you press Save, kept only in this browser on this device.
I answered question 9 — what now?
Please reach out to someone today: the services under Need help now? are free and confidential, and your doctor or therapist should know. If you're in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.