PHQ-9: Patient Health Questionnaire (Depression)PHQ-9
~3 min · 9 questions · Free partial report
This test contains sensitive content. Results are private and not shared with employers unless you explicitly consent.
The PHQ-9 is a 9-item depression screening tool based on the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder. It is one of the most widely used depression screeners in clinical practice, allowing both severity assessment and tracking of treatment response over time.
The gold-standard 9-item depression screener used in primary care worldwide, mapping directly to DSM diagnostic criteria.
- Screen for depressive symptoms and assess their severity. Each item maps to a DSM criterion for major depression, making this a clinically meaningful screening tool.
No signup required to start. The Partial Report is free at the end. The Complete costs $6.90, if and when you want it.
What this test measures
Depression Severity
Measures overall depression severity based on the nine DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder, covering depressed mood, anhedonia, sleep disturbance, fatigue, appetite changes, guilt, concentration difficulties, psychomotor changes, and suicidal ideation.
Minimal
Mild
Moderate
Moderately Severe
Severe
Your result falls into one of these bands.
Discover where you stand on each dimension.
Start for free →No prior signup. Free partial result immediately.
From first click to report.
The process is simple: you respond, the system calculates, and the result appears. No prior signup, no form, no waiting.
- 1
Click "Start for free"
No signup required to start. You identify yourself at the end, when you want to save the result. The test opens immediately.
- 2
Answer the questions
Likert 4-point scale (Not at all — Nearly every day). Visible progress bar. You can pause and resume from any device after identifying yourself.
- 3
Get the Partial Report
Immediate and free. A text summary of each dimension, with indication of high, medium, or low.
- 4
Decide if you want the Complete
The Partial already delivers value. The Complete adds percentiles, norm comparison, charts, applied recommendations, and a verifiable Certificate.
- 5
Explore in the Integrative Chat
Talk to an AI about your results. Ask how your profile applies to your career, what a high score means, or compare with other tests.
The Partial is yours right away. The Complete, when it makes sense.
| Free and paid, side by side | Partial Report (free, always) | Complete Report ($6.90) |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretive text per dimension, generated from your answers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Raw score for each dimension | ✓ | ✓ |
| One-paragraph overview reading | ✓ | ✓ |
| Everything in the Partial, expanded to 3–5 paragraphs per dimension | — | ✓ |
| Percentile per dimension, compared to reference norms | — | ✓ |
| Inter-dimensional chart with accessible data table | — | ✓ |
| Applied recommendations: career, relationships, self-care | — | ✓ |
| Certificate with public verification and PDF download | — | ✓ |
- ✓Everything in the Partial, expanded to 3–5 paragraphs per dimension
- ✓Percentile per dimension, compared to reference norms
- ✓Applied recommendations: career, relationships, self-care
- ✓Certificate with public verification and PDF download
You only pay after completing the test, if you want to go beyond the Partial.
Payment via PIX (instant) or credit card. Access for 1 year. After that, the report stays visible in read-only mode.
Why trust this instrument.
The PHQ-9 (Kroenke, Spitzer & Williams, 2001) operationalizes the 9 DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder as a severity measure. Each item assesses symptom frequency over the past two weeks on a 0-3 scale, yielding total scores from 0 to 27 with established severity cutoffs. It has demonstrated 88% sensitivity and 88% specificity for major depression at a cutoff of 10, and is validated for repeated use to monitor treatment response.
- Authors:
- Kroenke, Spitzer, & Williams
- Year:
- 2001
- Origin:
- US
- Range
- α 0.89 – 0.89(1 scales)
- Average
- α 0.89(good)
Cronbach's alpha. Values above .70 are acceptable; above .80, good.
- Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (2001). The PHQ-9: Validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606-613.
The theory behind this test.
PRIME-MD / PHQ Clinical Screening Framework
Clinical screening framework derived from the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD). Operationalizes DSM-IV diagnostic criteria into brief self-report screeners for depression (PHQ-9/PHQ-2), anxiety (GAD-7), somatization (PHQ-15), and other conditions. Not a diagnostic system — designed to identify probable cases for clinical follow-up.
Learn more about this theory →Target Audience
Adults (18+) who want to screen for or monitor depression symptoms
Recommended ages: 18+
Questions the report answers.
How severe are your depressive symptoms?
Scores of 0-4 suggest minimal depression, 5-9 mild, 10-14 moderate, 15-19 moderately severe, and 20-27 severe depression. Higher scores indicate greater symptom burden across mood, interest, sleep, energy, appetite, self-worth, concentration, and psychomotor functioning.
Who benefits most.
Depression self-screeners
Individuals who suspect they may be experiencing depression and want a quick, validated screening before deciding whether to seek professional help.
Treatment progress trackers
People in therapy or treatment who want to monitor their depression severity over time with a standardized measure.
People tracking treatment progress
Anyone in therapy or starting medication who wants the same severity measure clinicians use to see whether things are actually improving.
Frequently asked questions
What does this test measure?
It measures the severity of depressive symptoms over the past 2 weeks, based on the 9 DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder.
How long does it take?
About 2-3 minutes. It has only 9 items.
Is this a diagnostic tool?
No. The PHQ-9 is a screening and severity measure. While it closely maps to DSM criteria, a clinical diagnosis requires a professional evaluation.
Is this test scientifically validated?
Yes. The PHQ-9 has been validated in primary care, psychiatric, and general population settings. It has a sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 88% for major depression at a cutoff score of 10 (Kroenke et al., 2001).
Can I use this to track my progress?
Yes. The PHQ-9 is designed for repeated use to monitor changes in depression severity over time, making it useful for tracking treatment response.
Combine instruments for a fuller profile.
Each test measures different dimensions. The Integrative Chat crosses the results of all tests you complete, revealing connections no single instrument can show.
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Start for free →PHQ-9: Patient Health Questionnaire (Depression)
No signup, no time limit. The Partial is free at the end.
The Complete costs $6.90, if and when you want it.
This test is a self-knowledge tool for informational purposes. It does not constitute a psychological or clinical diagnosis and does not replace evaluation by a qualified professional. The report indicates the AI model used in text generation.
The PHQ-9 was developed by Drs. Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, and Kurt Kroenke, with an educational grant from Pfizer Inc. No permission is required to reproduce, translate, display, or distribute the PHQ-9.