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PHQ-9 Depression Test Free, Clinically Validated Self-Assessment

Update Date 

September 24th, 2026

Author 

Anxiety Checklist Editorial Team
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In short

The PHQ-9 is the nine-question questionnaire doctors use worldwide to screen for depression and measure how strong symptoms are. It asks how often nine problems bothered you over the last two weeks, takes two to three minutes, and gives a score from 0 to 27; 10 or more is the usual cut-off for possible major depression.

Key takeaways

  • Each answer scores from 0 to 3 based on the last two weeks.
  • Scores of 5, 10, 15 and 20 mark mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe symptoms.
  • A score of 10 or more found major depression with 88% sensitivity in the original study.
  • Any answer other than “Not at all” to question 9 is a reason to seek support right away.
  • It is free to use, and a printable PDF is available for your doctor.

Free self-assessment

Take the PHQ-9

Nine questions about the last two weeks. Anxiety and low mood often travel together, and the PHQ-9 is the questionnaire doctors use to check for depression.

Questions
9
Time
2–3 min
Covers
Last 2 weeks
Score
0–27
Start the testDownload the printable PDF

A screening tool, not a diagnosis. Your score is calculated in your browser and your answers are not stored.

PHQ-9 Depression Test

Question 1: Little interest or pleasure in doing things

Question 2: Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless

Question 3: Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much

Question 4: Feeling tired or having little energy

Question 5: Poor appetite or overeating

Question 6: Feeling bad about yourself — or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down

Question 7: Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television

Question 8: Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed? Or the opposite — being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual

Question 9: Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way

Who the PHQ-9 is for

The PHQ-9 helps put words and a number to how you have been feeling. It is useful if:

  • You have felt down, flat or hopeless for more than a few days
  • You have lost interest in things you usually enjoy
  • Your sleep, energy, appetite or concentration have changed
  • You live with anxiety and want to know whether low mood is part of the picture

What the PHQ-9 measures

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was developed by Kurt Kroenke, Robert L. Spitzer and Janet B.W. Williams, the team behind the GAD-7. Its nine questions follow the nine symptoms doctors use to recognise major depression, from low mood and loss of interest to changes in sleep, appetite and concentration.

Published
2001
Validation
6,000 patients
Setting
Primary care & obstetrics
Licence
Free to use

How the PHQ-9 is scored

Each answer scores from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), for a total between 0 and 27:

0–4MinimalFew or no symptoms of depression.
5–9MildSome symptoms. Watch how they change over the next few weeks.
10–14ModerateThe usual cut-off for possible major depression. Talking to a professional is recommended.
15–19Moderately severeSymptoms are likely affecting daily life. Treatment is usually recommended.
20–27SeverePlease reach out to a doctor or mental health professional soon.

Question 9 counts on its own

Any answer other than "not at all" to thoughts of being better off dead or of hurting yourself deserves support today, whatever your total. Find a helpline near you, or call your local emergency number if you are in danger.

Reading your result

In the original study, scores of 5, 10, 15 and 20 marked mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe depression. A score of 10 or more is the most widely used cut-off for possible major depression.

Questions 1 and 2, on low mood and loss of interest, are the two core signs of depression. Sleep, energy and concentration can change for many reasons, so it helps to tell a doctor which answers were highest.

The official form ends with one more question that is not scored: how difficult these problems have made work, home life or relationships. If the honest answer is "very" or "extremely", that matters as much as the number.

What to do next

Minimal or mild (0–9)

  • Keep steady routines: sleep, meals, daylight, movement
  • Plan small enjoyable activities, even without motivation
  • Retake the test in two to four weeks if nothing improves

Moderate or above (10+)

  • Book an appointment with your doctor and bring your score
  • Depression is very treatable: talking therapy, medication, or both
  • Tell someone you trust how you have been feeling

How accurate is the PHQ-9?

88%sensitivity for major depression at a score of 10 or moreKroenke et al., 2001
88%specificity at the same cut-offKroenke et al., 2001
17,357participants in a 2019 meta-analysis confirming 10 as the best cut-offLevis et al., BMJ 2019

The 2019 meta-analysis found the same cut-off of 10 works regardless of age, with a pooled sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 85%.

PHQ-9 and GAD-7

PHQ-9GAD-7
MeasuresDepressionGeneralised anxiety
Questions97
CoversLast 2 weeksLast 2 weeks
Usual cut-off10 of 2710 of 21

They were designed as a pair, and many clinics give both. If worry and tension bother you most, take the GAD-7 as well.

Limitations

  • It cannot tell depression apart from conditions with similar symptoms, such as thyroid problems, grief or burnout
  • Physical illness and some medicines can raise the score through sleep, appetite and energy
  • It reflects two weeks only; one hard fortnight can push the score up

Scientific references

  1. Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (2001). The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606–613. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x
  2. Kroenke, K., & Spitzer, R. L. (2002). The PHQ-9: a new depression diagnostic and severity measure. Psychiatric Annals, 32(9), 509–515. doi:10.3928/0048-5713-20020901-06
  3. Levis, B., Benedetti, A., & Thombs, B. D. (2019). Accuracy of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for screening to detect major depression: individual participant data meta-analysis. BMJ, 365, l1476. doi:10.1136/bmj.l1476
  4. Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. (2010). The Patient Health Questionnaire Somatic, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptom Scales: a systematic review. General Hospital Psychiatry, 32(4), 345–359. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.03.006

Frequently asked questions

Is the PHQ-9 free to use?

Yes. It was developed with an educational grant from Pfizer; no permission is required to reproduce, translate, display or distribute it.

Can the PHQ-9 diagnose depression?

No. It screens for depression and measures how strong symptoms are. A diagnosis needs an assessment by a qualified professional.

What PHQ-9 score is considered depression?

A score of 10 or more is the standard cut-off for possible major depression. Scores of 5, 10, 15 and 20 mark mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe symptoms.

Why does question 9 matter so much?

It asks about thoughts of being better off dead or of hurting yourself. Any answer other than "not at all" is a reason to talk to someone today. Find a helpline near you.

Are my answers saved?

No. The test is scored in your browser; your answers are not sent to us or stored.

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