GAD-7 Anxiety Test

The GAD-7 is a 7-question anxiety test: you rate how often 7 problems have bothered you over the last 2 weeks, from 0 to 3 each, for a total of 0 to 21. Scores of 5, 10 and 15 mark mild, moderate and severe anxiety [1]. It flags how strong anxiety has been; it cannot diagnose a disorder.

GAD-7 · 7 questions · about 2 minutes

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?

  1. 1. Feeling nervous, anxious or on edge
  2. 2. Not being able to stop or control worrying
  3. 3. Worrying too much about different things
  4. 4. Trouble relaxing
  5. 5. Being so restless that it is hard to sit still
  6. 6. Becoming easily annoyed or irritable
  7. 7. Feeling afraid as if something awful might happen

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Add the numbers next to your answers. 0‑4 minimal anxiety · 5‑9 mild anxiety · 10‑14 moderate anxiety · 15‑21 severe anxiety.

© Pfizer Inc., free to use. Developed by Drs. Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke and colleagues, with an educational grant from Pfizer Inc. No permission required to reproduce, translate, display or distribute.

Quietarium editorial team Updated Sources: 8

Do I have anxiety?

No quiz can answer that, this one included: only a doctor or therapist can diagnose an anxiety disorder. The GAD-7 test measures how much anxiety has bothered you over the last 2 weeks. Its authors suggest a closer look at a score of 10 or more [1]. Whatever your score, see your primary care doctor or a therapist if anxiety gets in the way of work, sleep or relationships. Bring your score to the visit. If you need relief right now, see how to calm down.

How the GAD-7 is scored

Each answer has a number: "Not at all" is 0, "Several days" 1, "More than half the days" 2 and "Nearly every day" 3. Add the 7 numbers to get your total. Every question counts the same. The wording in the test above is copied from the official form [2].

Example: answers of 1, 2, 1, 2, 0, 1 and 1 add up to 8, which is mild. Change the two 2s to 3s and the total becomes 10, the first moderate score.

What your GAD-7 score means and what to do next

The ranges describe how much anxiety you reported. The authors recommend a closer look from 10 up [1]. A score under 10 can still go with real trouble, and a score over 10 is a reason to talk to someone, not proof of a disorder.

ScoreLevelWhat we suggest
0‑4MinimalNo action needed because of the score. Trust how you feel if it says otherwise.
5‑9MildWatch it. See a doctor if it lasts or gets in the way of work, sleep or relationships.
10‑14ModerateBook a visit with a doctor or therapist and bring the score.
15‑21SevereBook a visit soon; do not wait for it to get worse.

When anxiety spikes, two short exercises need no equipment: the 2-minute longer exhale from our guide to calming your nervous system, and 5-4-3-2-1 grounding if breathing makes you more tense. More options are on the breathing exercises page.

How accurate is the GAD-7?

It spots most people with an anxiety disorder, and it also flags some who would not get a diagnosis.

  • The original study asked 2,740 primary care patients to fill it in; 965 of them then had a phone interview with a mental health professional. At the best cutpoint, the test picked up 89 of every 100 people with generalized anxiety disorder and correctly cleared 82 of every 100 without it [3].
  • A follow-up in the same clinics found it also screened for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and PTSD, with an area under the curve of 0.80 to 0.91 [4].
  • A pooled review of 12 samples and 5,223 people found acceptable accuracy at cutpoints from 7 to 10, with 8 slightly ahead [5]. Some clinics use 8 instead of 10.

Most of these numbers come from clinics. Outside a clinic, where anxiety disorders are rarer, more of the high scores turn out to be false alarms.

Where your score sits among other adults

Most adults score low. In a national household survey of 5,030 people in Germany, the average was about 3, around 5% scored 10 or more, and about 1% scored 15 or more [6]. Women averaged slightly higher than men: 3.2 against 2.7.

So a score of 10 puts you in roughly the top 5%. The survey covered one country, so use it as context, not as a cutoff.

Taking the GAD-7 again: how much change counts

Wait at least 2 weeks between tries, since every question covers the last 2 weeks. Moves of 1 or 2 points may be noise. In 261 patients followed through treatment, the minimal clinically important difference was about 4 points [7].

Write down the date and the total each time, or print the form and keep the sheets together.

GAD-7, GAD-2 and PHQ-9: which one to use

The GAD-2 is the first 2 questions of the GAD-7, scored 0 to 6. A score of 3 or more is a signal to complete the full GAD-7 [1], and the short version held up well as a first check [4].

The GAD-7 asks about anxiety; the PHQ-9 depression test asks about low mood, sleep, energy and self-harm thoughts. Anxiety and depression often come together, and clinics often give both forms at one visit. If you scored high here and also feel flat or hopeless, take the PHQ-9 too. If the strain is mostly about work, the burnout test fits better.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (2023) recommends anxiety screening for adults 64 and younger, pregnant and postpartum people included. For adults 65 and older, it judged the evidence insufficient [8].

Printable GAD-7 (PDF)

The printable GAD-7 fits on one sheet. Print it to fill in by hand and bring to an appointment, or choose "Save as PDF" in the print window to keep a file.

Frequently asked questions

Is the GAD-7 free to use?

Yes. Its authors placed it in the public domain, so you can take it here or print it without asking anyone [1].

Can the GAD-7 diagnose an anxiety disorder?

No. A diagnosis needs a conversation with a doctor or therapist, who will also look for other causes of the same feelings, such as a thyroid problem or too much caffeine.

Does it check for panic attacks or social anxiety?

Partly. A high score can point to panic disorder, social anxiety or PTSD as well [4], but the test cannot tell them apart. See how accurate it is.

Is a score of 21 high?

Yes, it is the maximum: every question answered "Nearly every day." Book a visit with a doctor or therapist soon, ideally this week.

Can teenagers take the GAD-7?

The studies behind the score ranges were done with adults [3]. If you are under 18, the numbers may not mean the same for you, so go through the result with a parent, school counselor or doctor.

When to see a professional

See a doctor or therapist if your score is 10 or more. Go at any score if anxiety has lasted for weeks and affects work, sleep or relationships, or if:

  • you have panic attacks, or avoid places because of them;
  • you are using alcohol or other substances to calm down;
  • anxiety comes with chest pain, fainting or an unexplained racing heart (a doctor should rule out heart and thyroid problems first).

Thoughts of harming yourself cannot wait for an appointment: call or text a crisis line today.

If answering these questions stirred up strong feelings, stop for a moment. Breathe out slowly a few times, and come back to the test later or not at all.

If you feel very bad right now

Emergency, US and Canada 911

If you are thinking about suicide or are afraid you might hurt yourself, call or text now. You do not have to wait until it gets worse.

  • Emergency, US and Canada 911
  • Crisis line, US and Canada (free, 24/7) 988, call or text

All countries and lines

Author
Quietarium editorial team
Updated

This page does not replace advice from a doctor. Medical disclaimer · Editorial policy

Sources: 8
  1. Pfizer / PHQ Screeners. Instructions for Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and GAD-7 Measures. phqscreeners.com (accessed October 19, 2026). Official manual.
  2. Spitzer RL, Williams JBW, Kroenke K, Löwe B. GAD-7 (English for the USA), official form. phqscreeners.com (accessed October 19, 2026). Questionnaire.
  3. Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JBW, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092-1097. doi:10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092. PubMed 16717171. Validation study, 2,740 patients.
  4. Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW, Monahan PO, Löwe B. Anxiety disorders in primary care: prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection. Ann Intern Med. 2007;146(5):317-325. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-146-5-200703060-00004. PubMed 17339617. Validation study, 965 patients.
  5. Plummer F, Manea L, Trepel D, McMillan D. Screening for anxiety disorders with the GAD-7 and GAD-2: a systematic review and diagnostic metaanalysis. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2016;39:24-31. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2015.11.005. PubMed 26719105. Systematic review and meta-analysis.
  6. Löwe B, Decker O, Müller S, et al. Validation and standardization of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7) in the general population. Med Care. 2008;46(3):266-274. doi:10.1097/MLR.0b013e318160d093. PubMed 18388841. Population survey, 5,030 adults.
  7. Toussaint A, Hüsing P, Gumz A, et al. Sensitivity to change and minimal clinically important difference of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7). J Affect Disord. 2020;265:395-401. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.032. PubMed 32090765. Data from a treatment trial, 261 patients.
  8. US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for anxiety disorders in adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2023;329(24):2163-2170. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.9301. PubMed 37338866. Guideline.