If you are feeling low or anxious and decide to visit your GP, they frequently ask you to complete a quick anxiety and depression test about how you feel. In the UK, your NHS doctor will often assess your symptoms using two screening forms: one depression test – the PHQ9 or Patient Health Questionnaire – and one anxiety test , called the GAD7 or Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment. These widely used tests have been translated into many languages, and have been in use worldwide for a long time. Through a simple depression questionnaire score or anxiety GAD 7 score, they provide a simple, quick and easy picture of how much your depression or anxiety is affecting you on a daily basis. Anxiety is often associated with depression and both tests are presented together here for convenience.
These self-administered tests are helpful as they provide some basis for you to gain an indication of the severity of your symptoms. However, a written test, no matter how well validated is not a substitute to speaking to a mental health professional. It is strongly recommended that any concerns that you have should be followed up with appropriate care or consultation with a mental health professional or clinician.
Depression Test: the PHQ 9 measurement tool
Answer the questions based on how you’ve been feeling during the last two weeks.
Depression Test PHQ9 Online
Anxiety Test: the GAD 7 Anxiety Symptoms Tool
Answer the questions based on how you’ve been feeling during the last two weeks.
Anxiety Test GAD 7 Online
What do my Anxiety Test and Depression Test scores mean?
Take your scores for each completed questionnaire separately, and compare your results to the information below:
| PHQ-9 for depression (score out of 27) | GAD-7 for anxiety (score out of 21) |
| 0 – 4 None/minimal symptoms | 0 – 4 None/minimal symptoms |
| 5 – 9 Mild depression | 5 – 10 Mild anxiety |
| 10 – 14 Moderate depression | 11 – 15 Moderate anxiety |
| 15 – 19 Moderately severe depression | 15 – 21 Severe anxiety |
| 20 – 27 Severe depression |
The PHQ family of measures (including abbreviated and alternative versions as well as the GAD-7, were developed by Drs. Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke and colleagues, with an educational grant from Pfizer Inc. All of the measures are in the public domain. No permission is required to reproduce, translate, display or distribute.
PHQ-9 scoring
The PHQ-9 consists of nine questions that ask you to consider the past 2 weeks and how often you’ve “been bothered by any of the following problems” ….. The questions cover sleep, energy, appetite, and other depressive symptoms. Scores are calculated based on the frequency you experience these feelings.
Each “not at all” response is scored as 0; each “several days” response is 1; each “more than half the days” response is 2; and each “nearly every day” response is 3. The sum of these answers gives you your total score. The score results are:
- 1-4: This is considered minimal depression, which suggests that an individual may not need depression treatment.
- 5-9: This is considered mild depression. Clinical judgment is made by your GP or Healthcare provider about treatment based on the duration and severity of symptoms.
- 10-14: This is considered moderate depression. Similar to mild depression, Clinical judgment is made by your GP or Healthcare provider about treatment based on the duration and severity of symptoms and patient knowledge.
- 15-19: This is considered moderately severe depression. This generally means that treatment for depression using medication, therapy, or both is indicated.
- 20-27: This is considered severe depression. This generally means that treatment for depression using medication, therapy, or both is indicated.
Although a PHQ-9 score is a helpful indicator of depression, your healthcare provider will use additional criteria before making a diagnosis or prescribing treatment.
Gad 7 Scoring
The GAD-7 is scored on a scale of 21, based on seven questions. These are scored on 0 to 3 based upon your response to “how you’ve been feeling during the last two weeks”. These are scored from “not at all,” which scores 0, to “nearly every day,” (3). The sum of the 7 scores gives you a total which you use to indicate your anxiety level band
- 0-4: Minimal Anxiety. Your anxiety levels are typical and probably don’t need any treatment or following up.
- 5-9: Mild Anxiety. Your anxiety symptoms are noticeable and may interfere with some of your social or professional responsibilities, but they are usually not inhibitive. Therapy may help you develop coping skills.
- 10-14: Moderate Anxiety. You feel anxious more often than not and your anxiety often impacts your professional life and your relationships, but your symptoms are not debilitating (i.e., you can go about your day, though it may sometimes be quite difficult).
- 15-21: Severe Anxiety. You may experience physical and behavioural symptoms of anxiety, and this disrupts your functioning. You may feel persistently or frequently anxious, and your anxiety may seriously affect your personal and professional life.
Once you have your GAD 7 test results, what happens next depends on where and how you took the test. If you self-tested, you should carefully consider speaking to a healthcare provider for follow-up. However, if your GP or Healthcare professional has carried out the test with you, they will likely want to ask you more detail about your anxiety. They might also suggest beginning medication or talking to a therapist or counsellor.
The Next Step: Treating and Working Through Depression or Anxiety?
Although the symptoms of anxiety or depression have varying degrees of severity, from a practical point of view, it can be much more helpful to focus on solutions and treatment rather than to worry about any sort of medical, diagnostic label. However, a healthcare provider can only help you with mental health issues if you make them aware, so learning more about yourself is a good starting point. To read more about depression, and working through it (includes helpful links at the bottom of the page), please see our depression page. For anxiety please see the anxiety counselling page -also includes some helpful links at end.
Something Helpful if you are feeling low:
A thought-provoking video on depression. Famously, Churchill called his depression the “black dog” .
