About the test
Anxiety test (GAD-7)
The GAD-7 is the most widely used short questionnaire for anxiety symptoms. It asks how often seven symptoms such as worry, tension and restlessness have bothered you over the past two weeks and adds them up to a score from 0 to 21. Our free version uses the official wording, but it is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
Questionnaire / instrument: GAD-7
The test at a glance
- Price
- Free, including your results
- Registration
- No account required
- Length
- 7 questions
- Time
- About 2 minutes
- Format
- Self-report · four response options
- Your report
- Total 0–21 · four severity levels
The four severity levels
The seven answers are added up to one total. Your report places it on the four levels from the original study, using these names:
Minimal symptoms (0–4)
Anxiety symptoms have bothered you little over the past two weeks. Feeling worried now and then is a normal part of life.
Mild symptoms (5–9)
Symptoms have bothered you somewhat. Many people feel this way when life is busy or uncertain; keep an eye on how it develops.
Moderate symptoms (10–14)
Symptoms have bothered you quite a lot. A score of 10 or more is the usual point where it is recommended to talk to a doctor or psychologist.
Severe symptoms (15–21)
Symptoms have bothered you a lot. Talking to your doctor or a psychologist is recommended. Anxiety can be treated well.
What your results show
Your result is calculated as soon as you answer the last question. You can preview an example report before taking the test.
- Your total from 0 to 21, placed on the four severity levels from minimal to severe, with a short explanation of your level.
- Your answer to each of the seven questions and the points it gives, with answers of “More than half the days” or more highlighted.
- A reminder of what the score cannot tell you, and advice on what you can do next and where to get help.
What does it measure?
The frequency of seven symptoms associated with generalized anxiety over the past two weeks, including worry, tension, restlessness and difficulty relaxing.
Where does it come from?
GAD-7 was developed by Robert Spitzer, Kurt Kroenke, Janet Williams and Bernd Löwe and published in 2006. The questionnaire was developed with educational support from Pfizer.
How is the result calculated?
Each answer contributes 0–3 points, giving a total of 0–21. The published severity levels are 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate and 15–21 severe. Our version uses the seven scored questions; the separate question about daily-life difficulty is not included.
What can the result tell you?
GAD-7 screens for symptoms and their severity; it does not establish a diagnosis or explain their cause. A score of 10 or more is commonly used to flag further assessment. The score is not the probability that you have an anxiety disorder.
Languages and adaptations
We use the source’s official question translations where available. If the questionnaire is unavailable in the selected language, it is shown in English. Our result explanations are separate from the original instrument.
Frequently asked questions
Is the anxiety test free?
Yes. You can answer the questions and read the full result without paying or creating an account.
Can this test tell me whether I have an anxiety disorder?
No. The GAD-7 measures how much anxiety symptoms have bothered you over the past two weeks. A diagnosis needs an assessment by a health professional. A high score can also be linked to stress, lack of sleep, depression, physical health problems or substances such as caffeine.
What does a GAD-7 score of 10 mean?
Scores of 0–4 count as minimal symptoms, 5–9 as mild, 10–14 as moderate and 15–21 as severe. A score of 10 or more is commonly used as the point where a closer assessment is recommended. It is not the probability that you have an anxiety disorder.
How accurate is the GAD-7?
The GAD-7 was developed and validated in primary care, where a score of 10 or more picked up most patients with generalized anxiety disorder while flagging a smaller share of those without it. It also responds to other anxiety problems, so a high score does not say which kind of anxiety you have. Results from clinics do not transfer directly to people taking a test online.
How is it different from the depression test?
The GAD-7 asks about worry, nervousness and tension, while the PHQ-9 depression test asks about low mood, loss of interest and related symptoms. Anxiety and depression often occur together, so taking both can give a fuller picture of how you are doing.
How should I answer the questions?
Think about the past two weeks as a whole and choose how often each problem has bothered you, from “Not at all” to “Nearly every day”. Answer for how things have actually been, not how you think they should be. There are no right or wrong answers.
License and reuse
PHQ Screeners / PfizerThe PHQ and GAD-7 materials are distributed with permission to reproduce, translate, display and distribute them without a separate permission request. The original forms credit their developers and Pfizer’s educational support.
The terms below apply to the test materials. Articles, translations, software and our result descriptions may have separate terms.
Sources and further reading
Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(10), 1092–1097.