Calculate a PHQ-9 depression score from the nine items, get the 0 to 27 severity band, provisional read, and change between screenings.
PHQ-9 Depression Score Formula
The full PHQ-9 score is the sum of the answers to all nine items. Each item is scored from 0 to 3.
PHQ-9 = Q1 + Q2 + Q3 + Q4 + Q5 + Q6 + Q7 + Q8 + Q9
The PHQ-2 quick screen uses only the first two items.
PHQ-2 = Q1 + Q2
- PHQ-9 = total depression score, from 0 to 27.
- Q1 to Q9 = the score for each of the nine items, from 0 to 3.
- Answer scale: 0 = Not at all, 1 = Several days, 2 = More than half the days, 3 = Nearly every day.
- PHQ-2 = the two-item quick screen, from 0 to 6.
The calculator adds your answers to produce the total, then places that total in a severity band. In full mode it also counts how many symptoms you marked at least "more than half the days" and checks whether a core symptom (item 1, loss of interest, or item 2, low mood) is present, which is the basis of the provisional diagnostic read. Item 9 is treated separately: any answer above 0 raises a safety note no matter what the total is. The quick screen mode sums only the first two items and compares the result to the usual cutoff of 3. If you enter a previous total, the calculator reports the point change, the percent change, and whether the shift counts as treatment response or remission.
PHQ-9 Severity Bands and Suggested Actions
The 0 to 27 total maps to five severity bands. The suggested action column follows the guidance commonly printed with the instrument. It is a general guide, not a prescription.
| Total score | Severity | Commonly suggested action |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 4 | Minimal or none | No treatment usually needed; rescreen if symptoms appear |
| 5 to 9 | Mild | Watchful waiting; repeat the PHQ-9 at follow-up |
| 10 to 14 | Moderate | Discuss a treatment plan: counseling, follow-up, or medication |
| 15 to 19 | Moderately severe | Active treatment with medication and/or psychotherapy |
| 20 to 27 | Severe | Prompt treatment, often with referral to a mental health specialist |
A total of 10 is the standard cutoff where depression becomes clinically significant, with roughly 88 percent sensitivity and specificity for major depression at that point.
Reading a Change Between Two Screenings
The PHQ-9 is often repeated to track progress, so a single score is only half the story. Use the table below to read the difference between an earlier total and a later one. These thresholds are what the calculator uses in its progress-tracking mode.
| Result | Definition | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Reliable change | Drop or rise of 5 or more points | A shift under 5 points is within measurement error, not true change |
| Partial response | Drop of 5 or more points but under 50 percent | Real improvement, but symptoms are still meaningful |
| Response | Drop of 50 percent or more from the earlier total | A common target for the early phase of treatment |
| Remission | Later total under 5 | Minimal or no symptoms; the usual end goal |
PHQ-9 Example Problems
Example 1. You answer items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 as "More than half the days" (2 points each) and every other item as "Not at all" (0). The total is 5 items times 2 points, which is 10. A 10 falls in the moderate band. Five symptoms are present at least half the days and one of them is a core symptom, so the calculator also reports that the pattern meets the symptom count for provisional major depression.
Example 2. Your first PHQ-9 total was 18 and your latest total is 8. The change is a 10-point drop, and 10 divided by 18 is about 56 percent. Because the drop is 50 percent or more, the calculator marks this as a treatment response. The new total of 8 sits in the mild band and is still above 5, so it is a response but not yet remission.
PHQ-9 FAQ
What PHQ-9 score is considered normal, and what is concerning?
A total of 0 to 4 is considered minimal or no depression. Scores of 5 to 9 are mild. A total of 10 or more is the point at which depression is usually treated as clinically significant, and scores of 20 to 27 indicate severe symptoms. The bands describe severity only; they do not by themselves diagnose a condition.
Does the PHQ-9 diagnose depression?
No. The PHQ-9 is a screening and severity tool, not a diagnosis. It can flag a likely problem and measure how heavy the symptoms are, and the provisional read in the calculator mirrors the standard symptom-count algorithm, but a diagnosis of major depression requires a clinician who can weigh your history, rule out other causes, and confirm that symptoms are not better explained by something else.
What does item 9 mean and what should I do if I score on it?
Item 9 asks about thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself. Any answer above "Not at all" is treated as a safety flag regardless of your total score, which is why the calculator shows a separate note when it is endorsed. If you have these thoughts, treat it as a reason to reach out now rather than later: contact a health professional, or in the United States call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a sensitive area, and talking to someone you trust or a trained responder is a reasonable next step.