About this tool
- •The PHQ-9 is a 9-item, free, validated depression screening tool used in clinical practice worldwide.
- •Each item is scored 0-3 (total range 0-27). Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms.
- •Score cutoffs: 0-4 minimal, 5-9 mild, 10-14 moderate, 15-19 moderately severe, 20-27 severe.
- •A PHQ-9 score is a SCREENING result, not a diagnosis. A score in any range only suggests further evaluation; only a clinician can diagnose depression.
- •Item 9 (thoughts of self-harm) gets special handling — any non-zero response warrants prompt professional contact regardless of total score.
- •PHQ-9 was developed by Spitzer, Kroenke, and Williams (2001) and is in the public domain — anyone can use it for free.
Take the PHQ-9
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?
0 of 9 answered
Your answers are processed in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent to anyone — including Tovani — until you choose to.
Frequently asked
Is this a diagnosis?
No. The PHQ-9 is a screening tool — a structured way to measure symptom severity. A score in any range only suggests whether further evaluation might be helpful. Only a clinician can diagnose depression, which requires a full clinical assessment.
My score is high. What should I do?
For scores in the moderate range or above (10+), professional evaluation is appropriate. Don't wait — depression is treatable, and the available options (therapy, medication, ketamine for treatment-resistant cases) work better when started earlier rather than later. If you have any thoughts of self-harm, contact 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) immediately, regardless of total score.
Can I take this for someone else?
The PHQ-9 is designed to be self-reported. Filling it out on behalf of another person doesn't produce a valid score because depression involves internal experience the other person can't report on. If you're concerned about someone, encourage them to talk with a clinician directly.
My score is low but I still feel bad. Is something wrong with me?
The PHQ-9 measures depressive symptoms specifically. Distress can come from many sources that don't fit the depression pattern — anxiety, trauma, life circumstances, grief, ADHD, hormonal changes. A low PHQ-9 doesn't mean you're fine; it means the depression-specific symptom pattern isn't strongly present. If something feels wrong, talking with a clinician is still appropriate.
Does the PHQ-9 detect treatment-resistant depression?
Treatment-resistant depression is defined clinically — typically as inadequate response to two or more adequate antidepressant trials. The PHQ-9 alone can't make that determination, but tracking PHQ-9 scores over time during treatment is the most common way clinicians measure whether medication is working. If your PHQ-9 hasn't dropped after 6-8 weeks at a therapeutic dose, that's a clinical signal to consider alternatives.
References
- Murrough JW et al. 2013, American Journal of Psychiatry. Ketamine RCT showed 64% response vs 28% placebo in treatment-resistant depression — relevant for the moderately severe to severe PHQ-9 range when conventional treatments have failed. PMID 23982301
- Sanacora G et al. 2017, JAMA Psychiatry. APA consensus on ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects, including patients with high baseline PHQ-9 scores who haven't responded to first-line treatments. PMID 28249076