PHQ-9

✓ Validated

Free

A 9-item depression screening tool with scoring guidelines.

2-3 minutes

Age: Adults (18+)

assessments screeners

By HeyPsych Contributor

Reviewed by the HeyPsych Medical Review Board

Published: August 28, 2025

Last Updated: September 16, 2026

Last Reviewed: September 16, 2026

Important Notice

This assessment is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Results should not replace professional medical consultation. If you are experiencing mental health concerns or thoughts of self-harm, please consult with a qualified healthcare provider or contact a mental health crisis line immediately.

About the PHQ-9

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a multipurpose instrument for screening, diagnosing, monitoring and measuring the severity of depression.

Instructions

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

Assessment Questions0 of 9 completed

1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things

2. Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless

3. Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much

4. Feeling tired or having little energy

5. Poor appetite or overeating

6. Feeling bad about yourself — or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down

7. Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television

8. Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed. Or the opposite — being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual

9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself

⚠️ Requires immediate clinical attention if positive

Progress: 0 / 9

Clinical Information

References

The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure (Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB, 2001)

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) in the assessment of depression in primary care (Gilbody S, Richards D, Brealey S, Hewitt C, 2007)

This assessment tool is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a diagnostic tool and cannot replace a professional clinical evaluation. If you are concerned about your mental health, please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for a comprehensive assessment.

PHQ-9

Related Topics

Important Notice

About the PHQ-9

Instructions

Assessment Questions0 of 9 completed

Clinical Information

References

PHQ-9

Related Topics

Important Notice

About the PHQ-9

Instructions

Assessment Questions0 of 9 completed

Clinical Information

References