PHQ-9 Calculator

Quick Answer

Last updated: 11 November 2026 ·How we calculate this: PHQ-9 scoring (Kroenke, Spitzer and Williams 2001)

How This PHQ-9 Calculator Works

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is one of the most widely used depression questionnaires in primary care. Its nine questions match the nine symptoms used to diagnose major depression. For each one, choose how often it has bothered you over the last two weeks. The calculator adds the answers, gives the severity level and a usual next step, and shows a clear warning if you answer anything other than “not at all” to question 9.

How to Use the PHQ-9 Calculator

1. Think about the last two weeks.
2. For each of the nine questions, choose how often it has bothered you.
3. Press Calculate.
4. Read your total, the severity level and the suggested next step.
5. If you answered above 0 on question 9, call or text 988 (US) or your local emergency number.

PHQ-9 Scoring

• Each answer: not at all = 0, several days = 1, more than half the days = 2, nearly every day = 3
• Total: add the nine answers, from 0 to 27
• Severity cut points: 5 mild, 10 moderate, 15 moderately severe, 20 severe
• Screening threshold: 10 or more had 88% sensitivity and 88% specificity for major depression in the original study
• Safety item: question 9 is checked on its own, whatever the total

Key Terms

• PHQ-9: the nine-question depression part of the Patient Health Questionnaire.
• Screening: a quick check to see who may need a fuller assessment.
• Major depression: a diagnosis based on five or more of the nine symptoms for two weeks or more.
• Sensitivity: how often a test picks up people who have the condition.
• 988 Lifeline: the US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; call or text 988, any time.

Worked Example

Someone answers “several days” (1) to the first six questions and “not at all” (0) to the last three.

• Total: 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 6
• 6 is in the 5-9 band: mild
• Usual step: watch how they feel and repeat the PHQ-9 in a few weeks

If the same person had answered “more than half the days” (2) to each of the first six questions, the total would be 12, moderate, and a visit to a doctor to talk about treatment would be advised.

Real-Life Examples

• Self-check: put a number on how you have been feeling before a doctor’s visit.
• Tracking: repeat every few weeks to see if treatment is helping.
• Talking to someone: share your answers with a doctor or counselor.
• Learning: understand the scores on a clinic form.

PHQ-9 vs PHQ-2

• PHQ-2: just the first two questions, scored 0 to 6, used as a very short first check.
• PHQ-9: all nine symptoms, with a severity level from 0 to 27.
• Use: the PHQ-2 screens quickly; the PHQ-9 measures how severe symptoms are.

PHQ-9 Score Chart

Severity cut points from Kroenke, Spitzer and Williams (2001).

What the PHQ-9 Can and Cannot Do

The PHQ-9 was tested in thousands of primary care and obstetric patients and works well for spotting depression and tracking how it changes with treatment. Doctors often repeat it every few weeks to see whether symptoms are easing. It is quick and free, and it is used in clinics around the world.

It is not a diagnosis. Grief, thyroid problems, anemia, some medicines, sleep disorders, alcohol and other conditions can raise the score, and some people under-report how they feel. A doctor or mental health professional will ask about how long the symptoms have lasted, how much they affect daily life and other causes before making a diagnosis. If your score is 10 or more, or if anything here worries you, reach out to a doctor. Depression is common and treatable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating the score as a diagnosis. Only a professional can diagnose depression.
• Thinking about the wrong time span. The questions cover the last two weeks.
• Ignoring question 9. Any answer above 0 needs prompt attention.
• Waiting because the score is mild. Talk to someone if you are struggling.
• Comparing with other people. Use it to track your own change over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

References & Sources