Use this PHQ-9 calculator to score the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression screener, review severity bands, flag item 9 safety concerns.
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Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?
Answered0/9
1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things
2. Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
3. Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
4. Feeling tired or having little energy
5. Poor appetite or overeating
6. Feeling bad about yourself — or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down
7. Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
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
9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way
Optional. If you checked off any problems above, how difficult have these problems made it for you to do your work, take care of things at home, or get along with other people?
Enter values Answer all 9 questions to see your score.
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a validated nine-item screening tool used to estimate the severity of depressive symptoms over the past 2 weeks. This page scores the questionnaire, explains the usual severity bands, and makes clear where a screening result stops and a proper clinical assessment needs to begin.
How PHQ-9 scoring works
Each of the 9 questions is scored from 0 to 3, so the total PHQ-9 score runs from 0 to 27. The usual interpretation bands are 0 to 4 for minimal symptoms, 5 to 9 for mild symptoms, 10 to 14 for moderate symptoms, 15 to 19 for moderately severe symptoms, and 20 to 27 for severe symptoms. In clinical settings, the score is often used to support case finding and to monitor change over time rather than to make a diagnosis on its own.
The final item is different from the others because it asks about thoughts of being better off dead or of self-harm. Any response above 0 on item 9 needs prompt human follow-up even if the total score is not very high. A questionnaire score can help surface risk, but it cannot judge immediacy, intent, planning, safeguarding needs, or whether someone is safe right now.
PHQ-9 score = sum of 9 items (0 to 3 each)
The total score ranges from 0 to 27 and is usually interpreted in five severity bands.
What the PHQ-9 can and cannot tell you
The original validation study found that a cut-off of 10 performed well for identifying probable major depression in primary care, which is why that threshold is commonly quoted. Even so, the PHQ-9 is still a screening measure. Low mood, sleep disturbance, tiredness, and poor concentration can also appear with physical illness, grief, substance use, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, chronic pain, and many other clinical situations.
A high score therefore does not automatically mean major depressive disorder, and a low score does not prove that someone is safe or well. Some people minimise symptoms, while others may score highly during a crisis that needs urgent support before anyone starts thinking about formal diagnosis labels.
When to treat the result as urgent
If someone may act on suicidal thoughts, has a specific plan, cannot keep themselves safe, or is severely deteriorating, do not sit with a questionnaire result and wait. Use emergency or crisis services immediately. In the US or Canada, call or text 988. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans is available on 116 123, and urgent NHS or emergency services may be appropriate depending on the situation. Elsewhere, use the local emergency number or crisis service.
This page is designed to support interpretation, not to replace clinician judgement or urgent safeguarding decisions. The most important next step is always the one that matches the level of risk in front of you right now.
Using PHQ-9 scores to monitor change
Many strong PHQ-9 resources emphasise that the score is useful not only for first screening, but also for monitoring change when the same questionnaire is repeated over time. Calcipedia's calculator includes an optional previous-score field so the current result can be compared with the last PHQ-9 score rather than interpreted in isolation.
A movement of about 5 points is often treated as a meaningful change when the questionnaire is repeated in similar conditions. That does not prove that someone is better or worse by itself, but it gives a practical reason to review symptoms, functioning, treatment response, side effects, and support needs with a clinician.
Use the same two-week recall period each time.
Compare item 9 separately from the total score because safety can change even when the total score does not move much.
Pair the score with the functional-impact question so the number stays connected to daily life.
Do not use repeated self-scoring as a substitute for a care plan when symptoms are moderate, severe, worsening, or safety-related.
Why item 9 is handled separately
The ninth PHQ-9 item is part of the total score, but it is also a safety signal. A response above zero means the person has had thoughts about being better off dead or self-harm at least several days during the past 2 weeks. That needs human follow-up even if the total score is in a mild or moderate band.
The calculator therefore shows an immediate crisis-support callout when item 9 is above zero. The score alone cannot tell whether there is current intent, a plan, access to means, protective support, or immediate danger. Those questions require direct human assessment.
PHQ-9, PHQ-2, GAD-7, and related screeners
The PHQ-9 is the full nine-item depression screener. The PHQ-2 uses only the first two questions and is sometimes used as a very brief first step, but it does not provide the same severity detail or item-9 safety prompt. If anxiety symptoms are the main concern, the GAD-7 anxiety screener is a closer match than repeating the PHQ-9.
Different screeners answer different questions. A depression score can coexist with anxiety, sleep problems, substance use, grief, physical illness, medication effects, or bipolar-spectrum symptoms. That is why the result should be treated as structured information for a real assessment, not as a diagnosis label.
No. The PHQ-9 is a validated screener, not a standalone diagnostic assessment. A clinician still needs to review the symptom pattern, duration, functional impact, risk, physical-health overlap, medication effects, and whether another explanation such as bipolar disorder, grief, or substance use may fit better.
How often should I retake the PHQ-9?
In clinical practice, the PHQ-9 is often repeated after a few weeks to monitor change, especially once treatment or support has started. Repeating it too often without any action plan can create noise rather than clarity, so it works best when it is tied to follow-up with a clinician or a clear self-monitoring plan.
What should I do if item 9 is above zero?
Treat that as a prompt for real-world support, not just another score. If there is current risk, intent, planning, or concern about immediate safety, use urgent mental health or emergency support straight away. Even without immediate danger, item 9 should be discussed promptly with a clinician or crisis service.
What PHQ-9 score suggests moderate depression?
The usual moderate band is 10 to 14. A score of 10 or more is often used as a threshold for probable clinically significant depressive symptoms, but it still needs clinical context and follow-up.
What does a 5-point PHQ-9 change mean?
A change of about 5 points is often treated as meaningful when the questionnaire is repeated under similar conditions. It should prompt review of symptoms, functioning, and support rather than being read as proof of recovery or deterioration by itself.
Is PHQ-9 the same as PHQ-2?
No. The PHQ-2 uses the first two depression-screening questions and is shorter. The PHQ-9 gives a broader symptom profile, severity band, and item-9 safety prompt.
Can I use the PHQ-9 for teenagers?
The PHQ-9 is used in adolescent settings, but age, safeguarding, family context, and clinical judgement matter. A young person's score should be discussed with an appropriate clinician or mental health service rather than interpreted alone.
Why does the calculator ask about functional difficulty?
The optional functional-impact question helps connect symptoms to work, home life, and relationships. Two people can have similar total scores but very different levels of impairment and support need.
