PHQ-9
Patient Health Questionnaire for depression screening. Includes the standard 9-item PHQ-9 plus 3 additional DSM-5 Anxious Distress Specifier items.
Start AssessmentWhat is the PHQ-9?
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a validated screening tool used to assess the severity of depression based on the nine diagnostic criteria outlined in the DSM. This implementation extends the standard PHQ-9 with three additional DSM-5 Anxious Distress Specifier (ADDS) items for greater clinical granularity.
Developed by Kroenke, Spitzer, and Williams, the PHQ-9 is one of the most widely used instruments in clinical and research settings for measuring depression. It is in the public domain and free to use. The ADDS items help identify co-occurring anxiety features that are clinically significant in depressive presentations.
How It Works
Answer 12 questions about how often you've been bothered by specific symptoms over the past two weeks, including 9 core depression items and 3 anxious distress items.
Your responses are scored across two subscales: Core PHQ-9 (0–27) and Anxious Distress (0–9), with an overall total score of up to 36.
Receive a severity classification from None/Minimal to Severe based on your core depression score, plus an Anxious Distress rating, along with guidance on what each means.
What You'll Learn
- Your overall depression severity score (Core PHQ-9) and anxious distress subscale score
- How your symptoms compare to clinical thresholds
- Which specific symptoms are most prominent
- The presence and severity of co-occurring anxious distress features
- Whether further evaluation may be helpful
At a Glance
The assessments on this platform are internationally validated instruments; however, they may not have been specifically validated for all cultural backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Results should be interpreted with cultural context in mind. If you have concerns about cultural fit or relevance, please speak with a culturally informed mental health professional.
Ready to get started?
Take the PHQ-9 to understand your depression symptom severity and get actionable insights.
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