Printed on 3/17/2026
For informational purposes only. This is not medical advice.
The GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale) is the most widely used screening tool for anxiety disorders. Answer 7 questions about symptoms over the past 2 weeks to receive your severity score (0–21) with clinical interpretation. The GAD-7 screens for generalized anxiety and has good sensitivity for panic disorder, social anxiety, and PTSD. For a quick 2-question anxiety screen, use [GAD-2](/tools/gad2). Depression and anxiety frequently co-occur — assess with [PHQ-9](/tools/phq9). Screen for PTSD with [PCL-5](/tools/pcl5). For alcohol use disorder screening, see [AUDIT](/tools/audit).
Formula: Total score = sum of all 7 items (each 0-3). Range 0-21.
Rate how often you've been bothered by each symptom over the past 2 weeks: not at all (0), several days (1), more than half the days (2), or nearly every day (3).
Your responses are summed to produce a score from 0–21. The score maps to four severity categories: minimal, mild, moderate, or severe anxiety.
Review what your score means and recommended next steps. Scores of 10+ indicate clinically significant anxiety that warrants professional evaluation.
Family physicians & internists
GAD-7 is often administered alongside PHQ-9 to screen for both anxiety and depression. Takes under 2 minutes and provides actionable severity stratification.
Psychiatrists & therapists
Serial GAD-7 scores track treatment response to medication or therapy. A 5-point change is clinically meaningful; 50% reduction indicates treatment response.
Researchers
GAD-7 is a standard outcome measure in anxiety treatment trials. Its brevity and validation enable large-scale studies and cross-study comparisons.
Employee assistance programs
Anxiety significantly impacts workplace productivity. EAPs use GAD-7 to identify employees who may benefit from counseling or stress management programs.
University counseling centers
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue among college students. GAD-7 helps counseling centers triage and track student outcomes.
Individuals self-monitoring
If you're wondering whether your worry and nervousness might be an anxiety disorder, GAD-7 provides an evidence-based starting point before seeking professional help.
The GAD-7 asks about the last 2 weeks specifically. Don't include how you felt months ago or during a particularly stressful event that has passed.
Anxiety and depression frequently co-occur (up to 60% comorbidity). If you score elevated on GAD-7, also complete the PHQ-9 to give your provider a complete picture.
While any score can prompt evaluation, 10+ is the standard cutoff for 'clinically significant' anxiety. At this threshold, sensitivity is 89% and specificity is 82% for GAD.
Taking the GAD-7 periodically (monthly or after treatment changes) reveals trends. A 5-point improvement is clinically meaningful; look for patterns over weeks to months.
A score of 8 with severe work impairment may warrant treatment sooner than a score of 12 with preserved function. Consider how anxiety affects your daily life beyond the number.
While developed for generalized anxiety, GAD-7 has reasonable sensitivity for panic disorder (74%), social anxiety (72%), and PTSD (66%). A high score suggests any anxiety disorder.
Anxiety causes genuine physical symptoms (racing heart, sweating, muscle tension, GI distress). If you're experiencing these, the GAD-7 can help clarify whether anxiety is the cause.
Hyperthyroidism, caffeine excess, stimulant medications, and withdrawal states can mimic anxiety. If you score high, a medical workup may be appropriate.
The tool is only useful if you answer truthfully. There's no 'passing' or 'failing' — the goal is to understand your symptoms and get appropriate help if needed.
GAD-7 may miss specific phobias, OCD, or atypical anxiety presentations. If you're struggling but scored low, trust your experience and seek evaluation anyway.
The GAD-7 was developed and validated by Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams, and Löwe (2006). At a cutoff of 10, sensitivity is 89% and specificity is 82% for GAD. It has been cited over 15,000 times and is the most widely used anxiety screening instrument in clinical practice and research worldwide.
Your GAD-7 score falls into one of four severity categories: minimal (0–4), mild (5–9), moderate (10–14), or severe (15–21). A score of 10 or above is the standard threshold for identifying clinically significant anxiety that warrants further evaluation and potential treatment.
Scores in the mild range (5–9) may still be clinically relevant depending on functional impairment — a patient scoring 8 who is unable to work or maintain relationships may need intervention sooner than a patient scoring 12 with preserved function. The score is best used as one data point alongside clinical assessment of how anxiety affects daily life.
The GAD-7 is appropriate for initial anxiety screening in primary care, mental health, and research settings. It is recommended as a first-line screening tool by multiple clinical guidelines and is frequently paired with the PHQ-9 to simultaneously screen for both anxiety and depression, which commonly co-occur.
It is also useful for monitoring treatment response — repeating the GAD-7 at regular intervals (every 2–4 weeks) after initiating therapy (pharmacological or psychotherapeutic) provides an objective measure of symptom change. A decrease of 5 or more points is generally considered clinically meaningful improvement.
The GAD-7 was developed and validated primarily for generalized anxiety disorder. While it has reasonable sensitivity for other anxiety disorders (panic disorder, social anxiety, PTSD), it may miss cases or underestimate severity for these conditions. Disorder-specific scales (e.g., PCL-5 for PTSD, SPIN for social anxiety) are more appropriate when a specific diagnosis is suspected.
Like all self-report instruments, the GAD-7 is subject to recall bias, response bias, and cultural differences in how anxiety is expressed and reported. Somatic presentations of anxiety (e.g., chest tightness, gastrointestinal symptoms) may not be fully captured by the questionnaire items.
The GAD-7 does not distinguish between anxiety disorders and anxiety symptoms caused by medical conditions (hyperthyroidism, stimulant use, withdrawal states) or other psychiatric conditions. A clinical interview is needed for accurate diagnosis.
Disclaimer: This tool is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about your health.
Free PHQ-9 depression screening questionnaire. Take the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 to assess depression severity with instant scoring and interpretation. Also screen for anxiety with [GAD-7](/tools/gad7).
Mental HealthQuick two-question depression screen using the PHQ-2. A score of 3 or higher suggests further evaluation with the full [PHQ-9](/tools/phq9).