PHQ-9
Patient Health Questionnaire-9
Validated by Kroenke, Spitzer & Williams (2001) · View paper
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Jaye Turrietta, PsyD, BCBA-D, AEP
A 9-item screener for depression severity over the past two weeks.
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems? Select the response that best describes how you have been feeling.
9 questions · ~3 min · Auto-saved
About the PHQ-9
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was developed by Kurt Kroenke, Robert Spitzer, and Janet Williams in 2001 as part of the PRIME-MD project. It is the most widely used brief measure of depression severity worldwide — each item maps directly to one of the nine DSM criteria for major depressive disorder.
9 items. Takes roughly 3 minutes. Based on symptoms over the past two weeks. Appropriate for adults and adolescents.
Scoring
Each of the 9 items is scored 0–3 (Not at all, Several days, More than half the days, Nearly every day). Totals range 0–27. Cutoffs of 5, 10, 15, and 20 represent mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe depression, respectively. A score of 10 or more is the most commonly used threshold for further evaluation.
Validity
At the 10+ threshold, the PHQ-9 shows sensitivity of roughly 88% and specificity of 88% for major depressive disorder. It has been validated in dozens of languages and across many primary care and specialty settings.
If you are in crisis:
- Call or text 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US/Canada, 24/7)
- Text HOME to 741741 — Crisis Text Line
- Call 911 or go to your nearest ER if you are in immediate danger
- Outside the US: findahelpline.com
Important: The PHQ-9 is a severity measure, not a diagnosis. Depression symptoms overlap with autism, ADHD, chronic illness, and many other conditions — a high score here tells you something is worth looking at, not what the cause is.
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.
