GAD-7 Anxiety Test: Scoring & What Your Score Means
A clear guide to GAD-7 scoring: how the 7 questions are scored 0–21, what each severity band (minimal, mild, moderate, severe) means, and the 10-point cut-off for likely anxiety.
The GAD-7 is the most widely used questionnaire in the world for measuring anxiety. Seven short questions, a score from 0 to 21, and four severity bands — that's the whole tool. But the number only helps if you know what it means.
This guide explains exactly how GAD-7 scoring works, what each band tells you, and where the all-important cut-off sits.
Take the GAD-7 first
If you haven't already, answer the seven questions — your own score makes the rest of this guide concrete.
Key takeaways
- The GAD-7 has 7 questions, each scored 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), over the last 2 weeks.
- Total scores run from 0 to 21 and fall into four bands: minimal, mild, moderate, and severe.
- A score of 10 or more is the validated cut-off for likely generalised anxiety disorder.
- It's a screening tool — only a clinician can diagnose an anxiety disorder after a full assessment.
How GAD-7 scoring works
For each of the seven items you choose how often it has bothered you over the last two weeks:
| Response | Points |
|---|---|
| Not at all | 0 |
| Several days | 1 |
| More than half the days | 2 |
| Nearly every day | 3 |
Add the seven answers together and you get a single score between 0 and 21. There's no weighting and no reverse scoring — every question counts the same.
What your score means
Drag the slider to see how each total maps onto its severity band.
GAD-7: drag to see what each score means
Some anxiety symptoms. Worth monitoring and using self-help strategies.
What each band suggests doing
Reading your result
- 0–4 · Minimal — Anxiety isn't a significant problem right now. Keep up the basics — sleep, movement, time outdoors — and retake if things change.
- 5–9 · Mild — Some symptoms are present. Self-help (sleep, exercise, reducing caffeine and alcohol, breathing techniques) and keeping an eye on the trend are reasonable first steps.
- 10–14 · Moderate — You're at or above the cut-off for likely GAD. Consider speaking to a GP about talking therapies such as CBT, which has strong evidence for anxiety.
- 15–21 · Severe — Anxiety is frequent and intense. A professional assessment is advised, and effective treatments — therapy and, where appropriate, medication — are available.
Myth
A high GAD-7 score means I have an anxiety disorder.
Why the GAD-7 is trusted
Developed by Robert Spitzer and colleagues in 2006, the GAD-7 was validated in thousands of primary-care patients. Although designed for generalised anxiety disorder, it also performs well as a screen for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and PTSD — which is why it's so widely used in clinics and online.
For an even quicker check, the first two questions form the GAD-2: a 0–6 screen where a score of 3 or more is the prompt to complete the full GAD-7.
Your result, interpreted
A single GAD-7 score is a snapshot, not a verdict. Retaking it every couple of weeks is often more informative than any one result — a falling score is one of the clearest signs that things are improving.
Frequently asked questions
How is the GAD-7 scored?
What is a normal GAD-7 score?
What GAD-7 score indicates anxiety?
What does the GAD-7 scale measure?
Is a GAD-7 score of 15 bad?
Free interactive test · ~2 min
Take the free GAD-7 anxiety test
Seven questions, two minutes. Get your 0–21 score, your severity band, and a clear explanation of what it means.
Take the GAD-7 testKeep reading
Do I Have Anxiety? Types, Tests & When to Get Help
A plain-English guide to anxiety: the main types, the validated tests that screen for each (GAD-7, Mini-SPIN, PDSS, SHAI), and how to know when to seek help.
mindUnderstanding the PHQ-9 Depression Screening
The PHQ-9 is a short, widely used questionnaire that gauges depression symptoms. Here's what each score band means, why it's a screen and not a diagnosis, and how to know when to reach out for help.
mindAm I Burned Out? The Signs of Burnout and What to Do
Burnout is a real, WHO-recognised syndrome with three clear dimensions. Learn the signs, how it differs from depression, and what actually helps you recover.
References
- 1.Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JBW, Löwe B (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(10), 1092–1097.
- 2.Kroenke K, et al. (2007). Anxiety disorders in primary care: prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection (GAD-7 and GAD-2).
- 3.NHS — Anxiety, fear and panic
This guide is educational and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified clinician about your individual circumstances.