GAD-7 Anxiety Scale Calculator
Score the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) screening questionnaire. Rate each item based on symptoms over the past 2 weeks for instant severity interpretation and clinical guidance.
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following?
| Score | Severity | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | ● Minimal | Monitor; no treatment typically needed |
| 5–9 | ● Mild | Watchful waiting; repeat at follow-up |
| 10–14 | ● Moderate | Consider counseling, CBT, or pharmacotherapy |
| 15–21 | ● Severe | Active treatment warranted; consider referral |
Disclaimer: For educational purposes only. Not a substitute for clinical judgment or formal psychiatric evaluation.
About This Tool
What Is the GAD-7?
The GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale) is a brief, validated self-report questionnaire developed by Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams, and Löwe in 2006. It screens for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and measures anxiety severity. The tool is widely used in primary care, psychiatry, psychology, and clinical research. It can also detect panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, though it was primarily validated for GAD.
GAD-7 Scoring and Interpretation
The GAD-7 consists of 7 items rated on a 4-point scale from 0 ("Not at all") to 3 ("Nearly every day"), yielding a total score of 0–21. The standard severity cutoffs are: 0–4 (minimal anxiety), 5–9 (mild), 10–14 (moderate), and 15–21 (severe). A score of 10 or greater has been identified as the optimal cutoff for detecting clinically significant anxiety, with a sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 82% for generalized anxiety disorder.
Clinical Use of the GAD-7
The GAD-7 is commonly used as a screening tool during routine visits, a severity measure to track treatment response, and a research outcome measure. It is often paired with the PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) for combined anxiety and depression screening. Serial administration allows clinicians to monitor symptom trajectory over time. A decrease of 5 or more points is considered a clinically meaningful improvement.
GAD-7 vs PHQ-9
While the GAD-7 screens for anxiety, the PHQ-9 screens for depression. Both use a similar format and scoring approach. Since anxiety and depression frequently co-occur (comorbidity rates of 50–60%), they are commonly administered together. Elevated scores on both instruments suggest comorbid anxiety and depression, which may require combined treatment approaches.
🔑 Clinical Pearls
- The GAD-7 is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. Elevated scores should prompt further clinical evaluation.
- A score ≥10 is the recommended cutoff for identifying probable GAD, but clinical context matters — some patients with lower scores may still benefit from intervention.
- The GAD-7 performs well across diverse populations and has been validated in multiple languages.
- Consider medical causes of anxiety (hyperthyroidism, pheochromocytoma, medication effects) before attributing symptoms solely to a psychiatric diagnosis.
- First-line treatments for GAD include CBT and SSRIs/SNRIs. Benzodiazepines should generally be avoided for long-term management.
Key References
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Formula last verified: February 2026