Calculate a GAD-7 score from the seven questionnaire answers, or interpret a total from 0 to 21 using the minimal, mild, moderate and severe score ranges.
GAD-7 Anxiety Score Formula
The GAD-7 score is the sum of your answers to seven questions. Each question is scored from 0 to 3 based on how often the symptom bothered you over the last two weeks:
GAD-7 = Q1 + Q2 + Q3 + Q4 + Q5 + Q6 + Q7
The calculator also reports the two-item GAD-2 subscore, which is a shorter screen built from the first two questions:
GAD-2 = Q1 + Q2
Variables:
- Q1 through Q7 are your answers to the seven items, each scored 0 (not at all), 1 (several days), 2 (more than half the days), or 3 (nearly every day)
- GAD-7 is the total score, which ranges from 0 to 21
- GAD-2 is the two-item subscore, which ranges from 0 to 6
Choose a workflow at the top. In questionnaire mode, answer every item for the last two weeks; no unanswered item is assumed to be zero. The tool sums the seven responses and reports their symptom-severity band and the first-two-item GAD-2 subscore. A GAD-2 of 3 or more commonly prompts further assessment. In known-score mode, enter a completed total; a GAD-2 subscore cannot be inferred from that total. The optional difficulty-functioning response adds context and is not included in either score. PHQ and GAD-7 instruction manual.
GAD-7 Score Ranges and What They Mean
Total scores fall into four symptom-severity bands. These are screening ranges, not diagnoses or automatic treatment decisions. Discuss symptoms that concern you or affect daily functioning with a health professional at any score.
| Score | Severity | Clinical context |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 4 | Minimal anxiety | A low score does not rule out a condition; seek advice if concerned |
| 5 to 9 | Mild anxiety | Consider symptoms and functioning with a health professional if concerned |
| 10 to 14 | Moderate anxiety | Further clinical assessment is commonly suggested |
| 15 to 21 | Severe anxiety | Discuss severe symptoms with a health professional; treatment depends on assessment |
A score of 10 or more is a common threshold for further assessment, although appropriate cutoffs depend on the population and purpose. The following published validation estimates describe study samples, not the probability that an individual has a disorder. Sensitivity is the share of affected participants screening positive; specificity is the share without the condition screening negative. The 8-point GAD row uses a different cutoff. Original GAD-7 validation study; primary-care anxiety-disorder study.
| Condition | Cut score | Sensitivity | Specificity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generalized anxiety disorder | 10 or more | 89% | 82% |
| Generalized anxiety disorder | 8 or more | 92% | 76% |
| Panic disorder | 10 or more | 74% | 81% |
| Social anxiety disorder | 10 or more | 72% | 80% |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | 10 or more | 66% | 81% |
Changes over time need clinical context. One study in patients with chronic depression estimated a 4-point minimal clinically important difference, but that is not a universal guarantee that a particular change exceeds measurement noise or proves recovery. Screening accuracy and the sensitivity/specificity tradeoff also vary across populations and cutoffs. Study of sensitivity to change.
Example Problems
Example 1: Score the questionnaire.
Your answers are Q1 = 2, Q2 = 3, Q3 = 2, Q4 = 2, Q5 = 1, Q6 = 1, Q7 = 2. Add them:
GAD-7 = 2 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 13, in the moderate anxiety symptom band (10 to 14). GAD-2 = 2 + 3 = 5, above the common screening threshold of 3. Neither score establishes a diagnosis.
Example 2: Track a score over time.
If a previous total was 12 and a later total is 6, the numerical decrease is 6 points and the later score is in the mild anxiety symptom band. Keep both results to discuss with a health professional; this change alone does not prove recovery or distinguish improvement from all sources of variation. Known-score mode interprets one entered total at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What GAD-7 score is considered concerning?
Scores of 0 to 4, 5 to 9, 10 to 14 and 15 to 21 indicate minimal, mild, moderate and severe anxiety symptoms, respectively. A score of 10 or more commonly prompts further clinical assessment. Symptoms that concern you or impair daily life warrant discussion with a health professional at any score.
Does the GAD-7 diagnose an anxiety disorder?
No. The GAD-7 is a screening and monitoring tool, not a diagnosis. A high score means it is worth looking into your symptoms with a professional, who can confirm whether a disorder is present and rule out other causes. A low score does not guarantee that nothing is wrong if you still feel unwell.
How much does my score need to change to matter?
The meaning of a change depends on the population, starting score, symptoms and functioning. A 4-point estimate from a chronic-depression study should not be treated as a universal test of reliable individual change. Known-score mode interprets one total at a time; discuss trends and their clinical meaning with a health professional.
