Understanding the PHQ-9 Questionnaire
PHQ-9 is the world's most widely used depression screening questionnaire, freely available and clinically validated.
What it measures
Nine symptom areas including mood, interest, sleep, energy, and thoughts of self-harm, each scored 0-3 based on frequency over the past two weeks.
How scoring works
Total scores range from 0-27, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.
Why it's so widely used
Its brevity, validated accuracy, and public domain availability have made it a standard tool in both clinical and self-assessment settings.
Key takeawayPHQ-9 is a brief, validated 9-question tool that reliably estimates depression symptom severity, though it's a screening tool rather than a full diagnostic assessment.
Helpful next steps
Mood tracking journal
Track patterns to share with your care team.
This content is for general educational purposes only. PHQ-9 is a validated screening tool, not a diagnosis. If you are having thoughts of self-harm, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) immediately.