GAD-7 anxiety screener
See what the GAD-7 measures, how it is scored against established cut-off bands, and what each band means.
The GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7) is a short, public-domain anxiety screening questionnaire. It asks how often, over the last two weeks, a person has been bothered by seven common symptoms of anxiety. First published by Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams and Lowe in 2006, it is one of the most widely used anxiety measures in the world and takes about two minutes to answer.
The model
What it measures
The GAD-7 measures one thing: the severity of recent anxiety symptoms. Its seven items cover the core features of generalized anxiety - feeling nervous or on edge, uncontrollable worry, trouble relaxing, restlessness, irritability and a sense of dread - over the past two weeks.
The areas below are the symptom features the seven items cover. They are not separately scored subscales; the GAD-7 produces a single total. A higher total means more symptoms, more often.
- AAnxiety severity
How strongly and how often common anxiety symptoms have shown up over the last two weeks.
Facets: Nervousness or feeling on edge, Uncontrollable worry, Worrying about many things, Trouble relaxing, Restlessness, Irritability, A sense that something awful might happen.
The evidence
Science and validity
The GAD-7 is one of the most thoroughly validated anxiety screeners in primary care. Internal consistency is excellent - Cronbach's alpha is typically around .89 to .92 - and test-retest reliability is high. Against structured diagnostic interviews, the standard cut-off of 10 or above gives roughly 89 percent sensitivity and 82 percent specificity for generalized anxiety disorder. It loads on a single dominant anxiety factor and is sensitive to change, so it is widely used to track symptoms over time.
Each of the seven items is rated 0 (not at all), 1 (several days), 2 (more than half the days) or 3 (nearly every day), for a total from 0 to 21. There are no population percentiles; the total is read against fixed severity bands, with 10 and above being the usual threshold for probable generalized anxiety. The GAD-7 also performs reasonably as a broader screen for panic, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress, sometimes with a slightly lower threshold.
How it is scored
Score bands and what they mean
This is a screening questionnaire. The total is read against established cut-off bands, not a population percentile and not a diagnosis - the bands flag how strongly recent symptoms are showing up, and where it may help to talk to someone.
- 0-4MinimalFew or no anxiety symptoms reported over the past two weeks.
- 5-9MildSome symptoms present; usually watchful waiting and a check-in later.
- 10-14ModerateAt or above the usual screening threshold; talking to a professional may help.
- 15-21SevereStrong, frequent symptoms; support from a qualified professional is advised.
How it works
What the questions feel like
Illustrative statements showing the style of the items. These are examples, not the official scored items.
Over the last two weeks, how often have you felt nervous, anxious or on edge?
Illustrative example in the style of the screener, not the official scored item.
Over the last two weeks, how often have you found it hard to stop or control worrying?
Illustrative example, not the official scored item.
Over the last two weeks, how often have you had trouble relaxing?
Illustrative example, not the official scored item.
Over the last two weeks, how often have you felt afraid as if something awful might happen?
Illustrative example, not the official scored item.
Honest strengths and limitations
Strengths
- One of the most widely used and best-validated anxiety screeners in the world, in 80+ languages.
- Very short (about two minutes), fully public domain and free to use.
- Clear, established cut-off bands that make a total easy to interpret and to track over time.
Limitations
- It is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnosis - a high score signals that a fuller conversation with a professional may help, not that a condition is present.
- Like all self-reports it reflects how someone feels right now and can be shaped by mood, recent events and how the questions are read.
- It focuses on generalized anxiety; it is only a rough screen for panic, social anxiety or post-traumatic stress, which need their own measures.
Checking in on how you are doing?
Screeners like this are informational, not a diagnosis. The free Snapshot is a private, structured way to check in on how you have been feeling lately.
Frequently asked questions
What does the GAD-7 measure?
It measures the severity of recent anxiety symptoms with seven short items covering nervousness, uncontrollable worry, trouble relaxing, restlessness, irritability and a sense of dread over the last two weeks. It produces a single total from 0 to 21.
How is the GAD-7 scored?
Each item is rated from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day) and the seven items are summed for a total of 0 to 21. The total is read against fixed severity bands rather than a percentile: 0-4 minimal, 5-9 mild, 10-14 moderate and 15-21 severe. A total of 10 or above is the usual screening threshold.
Is the GAD-7 a diagnosis?
No. The GAD-7 is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnosis. A higher score means it may help to speak with a qualified professional, who can look at the full picture. If you are struggling or in crisis, contact a qualified professional or a local crisis or helpline service.
Can I take the GAD-7 on Psychology.me?
This page is informational - we do not publicly offer the GAD-7 itself. If you would like a private, structured way to check in on how you have been feeling, the free wellbeing Snapshot is a gentle place to start.
Related tests
- Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. W., & Lowe, B. (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(10), 1092-1097.
- Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., Williams, J. B. W., Monahan, P. O., & Lowe, B. (2007). Anxiety disorders in primary care: prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection. Annals of Internal Medicine, 146(5), 317-325.
The GAD-7 was developed by Drs Robert L. Spitzer, Kurt Kroenke, Janet B. W. Williams and Bernd Lowe (Pfizer Inc.) and is freely available in the public domain; this independent informational page describes the instrument and does not reproduce its scored items.