Scoring and Interpretation of GAD-7 and PHQ-9

GAD-7 Scoring and Interpretation

• The GAD-7 consists of 7 items, with total scores ranging from 0 to 21, and severity levels are interpreted as: 0-4: Minimal anxiety, 5-9: Mild anxiety, 10-14: Moderate anxiety, 15-21: Severe anxiety 1

PHQ-9 Scoring and Interpretation

• The PHQ-9 consists of 9 items, with total scores ranging from 0 to 27, and is typically interpreted as: 0-4: Minimal depression, 5-9: Mild depression, 10-14: Moderate depression, 15-19: Moderately severe depression, 20-27: Severe depression 1, 2, 3

Clinical Application

• Both scales include a follow-up question about functional impairment, and should be used as screening tools, with positive results followed by further diagnostic assessment 1, 2
• Regular reassessment using these scales helps track symptom changes and treatment response 3
• If moderate to severe symptoms are detected, patients should have further diagnostic assessment to confirm the presence of a mood or anxiety disorder 1, 2