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Validated questionnaire · PHQ-9

Depression test (PHQ-9): a private 3-minute self-check

This self-check is awaiting review by our psychiatrists.

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In short

The PHQ-9 is a nine-question questionnaire that doctors around the world use to check for symptoms of depression over the last two weeks. It takes about three minutes. Your answers are scored on your device and are never sent to us. The result shows how much these symptoms are affecting you; it is not a diagnosis.

  • About 3 minutes
  • 10 questions
  • Private: answers stay on your device
  • For adults (18+)

This is a self-check, not a diagnosis. It takes about 3 minutes and is for information only: it cannot diagnose any condition and does not replace a consultation. Your answers stay on this device; we do not receive them.

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Your self-check

10 questions · about 3 minutes · private: your answers stay on this device

If you are under 18, please share how you feel with a parent, guardian, teacher or another adult you trust. A parent or guardian can book an appointment for you.

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

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
10. If you checked off any problems, 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? (not counted in the score)

In danger right now? Call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. This website is not monitored for emergencies.

What the PHQ-9 measures

The PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) asks about nine common symptoms of depression — such as low mood, loss of interest, sleep, energy and concentration — over the last two weeks. Each answer scores from 0 (“Not at all”) to 3 (“Nearly every day”), so the total runs from 0 to 27. A tenth question asks how much these problems affect daily life; it is not part of the score.

Doctors and researchers around the world use the PHQ-9 to look for depression and to follow how symptoms change over time. It has also been studied in Bangladesh: in its Bangla version with adults, and in English with university students.

What your score means

The score shows how much depression symptoms have affected you over the last two weeks: 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, 15–19 moderately severe and 20–27 severe. In the original study, 88% of people who had major depression scored 10 or more, and 88% of people without it scored below 10.

A high score does not prove that you have depression, and a low score does not rule it out. Grief, a physical illness, some medicines or a very hard time in life can cause similar symptoms. That is why only a professional assessment can tell what is going on.

When to talk to a professional

It is a good idea to talk to a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist or your doctor if:

  • your score is 10 or more;
  • the symptoms have lasted two weeks or longer, or keep coming back;
  • they make work, study, home life or relationships hard;
  • you have had thoughts of being better off dead or of hurting yourself — in that case, please get help straight away.

Depression is treatable. Talking therapies, medicines or both can help, and a professional can explain the options that suit you. With treatment, many people improve; results differ from person to person.

Taking the check again

If you are making changes to feel better, or you have started treatment, taking the PHQ-9 again every two weeks or so can show whether things are moving in the right direction. Your answers are not saved anywhere, so you may want to note down your score or save the result as a PDF.

About this questionnaire

Questionnaire
PHQ-9 — Patient Health Questionnaire-9
Developed by
Kurt Kroenke, Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B. W. Williams (2001)
Licence
Free to use: “No permission is required to reproduce, translate, display or distribute” (PHQ Screeners, Pfizer Inc.).
Bangla version
PHQ-9, Bengali for India — the official translation published by PHQ Screeners (Pfizer Inc.)

Developed by Drs. Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke and colleagues, with an educational grant from Pfizer Inc. No permission required to reproduce, translate, display or distribute.

How the score is worked out

Each answer scores 0 to 3 points; adding them up gives a total from 0 to 27. Question 10 is asked for context and does not count.

Score What it suggests
0–4 Minimal symptoms — Your answers show few or no symptoms of depression over the last two weeks.
5–9 Mild symptoms — Your answers suggest mild symptoms of depression over the last two weeks.
10–14 Moderate symptoms — Your answers suggest moderate symptoms of depression. A score of 10 or more is the level at which a professional assessment is usually recommended.
15–19 Moderately severe symptoms — Your answers suggest moderately severe symptoms of depression.
20–27 Severe symptoms — Your answers suggest severe symptoms of depression.

Common questions

Can this test tell me whether I have depression?

No. The PHQ-9 is a screening questionnaire: it shows how much common symptoms of depression have affected you recently. Only a qualified professional can make a diagnosis, after an assessment that also looks at your physical health, medicines and life situation.

How accurate is the PHQ-9?

It is one of the most widely studied depression questionnaires. In the original study in primary care, a score of 10 or more picked up 88% of people with major depression and correctly ruled out 88% of people without it. No questionnaire is perfect, so treat the result as the start of a conversation, not a final answer.

Is there a Bangla version?

Yes. The Bangla page uses the official Bengali translation published with the PHQ-9, which was prepared for readers in India. A Bangla PHQ-9 has also been studied with adults in Bangladesh, but its text has not been published.

Why does it ask about thoughts of being better off dead?

Because these thoughts can be part of depression, and they are a reason to get help quickly. If you choose any answer other than “Not at all”, the page shows straight away where to get help. Like all your answers, it stays on your device.

Can I use it for my teenager?

This version is for adults aged 18 and over. If you are worried about a child or teenager, talk with them and with a professional who works with young people. Our page on child and adolescent mental health explains the signs to look out for.

What happens to my answers?

Nothing leaves your device. Your answers are scored in your browser, are not sent to us and are not saved. If you would like a call from our team, you can leave a phone number after your result — that is always optional.

References

  1. Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001;16(9):606–613. — Original validation study: the score bands, and sensitivity and specificity of 88% at a score of 10 or more.
  2. PHQ Screeners. Instruction manual for the PHQ and GAD-7 measures. — Scoring, cut-points and the licence statement.
  3. PHQ Screeners. Select a screener — licence and official translations.
  4. Naher R, Rabby MRA, Sharif F. Validation of patient health questionnaire-9 for assessing depression of adults in Bangladesh. Dhaka Univ J Biol Sci. 2021;30(2):275–281. — Bangla PHQ-9 in 321 adults in Bangladesh (Cronbach’s alpha 0.837).
  5. Rahman MA, Dhira TA, Sarker AR, Mehareen J. Validity and reliability of the Patient Health Questionnaire scale (PHQ-9) among university students of Bangladesh. PLoS One. 2022;17(6):e0269634. — English PHQ-9 in 677 university students in Bangladesh.
  6. PHQ-9, Bengali for India (official translation). PHQ Screeners. — Source of the Bangla questions on this page.

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