Quick 9-item depression check-in for the last two weeks.

  • Answer every question using the original 0 to 3 response scale.
  • The standard function item is included, but it is not added to the 0 to 27 total.
  • Your responses stay only in this browser unless you export them.
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Score lane dial
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When to seek support

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Answer review
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Complete the PHQ-9 before exporting the response ledger.
Tags: Diagnostics, Psychology, Psychometrics
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Two weeks can hold many different kinds of depressive symptoms: sleep changes, low energy, lost interest, self-criticism, appetite shifts, concentration trouble, slowed movement, restlessness, or thoughts of self-harm. A depression screener gives those experiences a common frame so they are easier to name, compare, and discuss without relying on memory alone.

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, commonly called the PHQ-9, is a nine-item self-report scale. Each symptom is rated by how often it occurred during the last two weeks, from Not at all to Nearly every day. The answers are added into a 0 to 27 total, then read beside symptom pattern, daily function, and safety cues.

A PHQ-9 score can help a primary-care visit, counseling session, treatment follow-up, or personal check-in start from specific information. It is especially useful when the same person repeats the same complete form over time, because changes in the total and item pattern can show whether symptoms are easing, worsening, or shifting from one area to another.

Symptom total
The nine symptom ratings added together. The range is 0 to 27.
Function item
The separate question about work, home responsibilities, and relationships. It does not add points to the total.
Item 9
The item about thoughts of being better off dead or self-harm. Any non-zero answer needs direct attention.
Review cue
A score of 10 or more is a common threshold for fuller depression assessment, not a diagnosis by itself.
PHQ-9 reading map The total is only one part of the interpretation; function and Item 9 can change follow-up urgency. 9 symptoms each scored 0 to 3 0 to 27 total Minimal to severe bands 10+ review cue Read beside context Function impact, Item 9, and highest symptom drivers Item 9 safety cue Function impact Pattern of symptoms

The score should not be treated as a standalone label for a person. Depression-like symptoms can also appear with grief, trauma, sleep loss, substance use, medication effects, thyroid disease, chronic pain, pregnancy or postpartum changes, bipolar disorder, anxiety, or acute stress. Context, timing, safety, and medical history still matter.

A non-zero Item 9 answer is different from an ordinary score increase. If thoughts of self-harm feel actionable, safety is uncertain, or someone may be in immediate danger, use emergency help or crisis support now. In the United States, 988 connects to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by call, text, or chat.

How to Use This Tool:

Use one clear two-week recall window and complete all ten prompts before reading the result. The nine symptom items form the score, and the final function question adds essential interpretation context.

  1. Select Begin Assessment when you are ready to answer the PHQ-9 without mixing in older symptoms or future worries.
  2. Choose one frequency answer for each symptom item: Not at all, Several days, More than half the days, or Nearly every day.
  3. Answer the function question about work, home responsibilities, and getting along with other people. It appears beside the total as Function impact, but it is not added to the 0 to 27 score.
  4. If the result does not appear, use the progress display or question navigator to find the missing prompt. One unanswered symptom item or missing function answer keeps the assessment incomplete.
  5. Start with Total score and Overall lane, then check Cutoff context, Support urgency, Item 9, High-intensity items, and Function impact.
  6. Use Score lane dial, Symptom ladder, Higher and lower scored items, and Answer review to keep the exact item pattern with the total.
A copied result, downloaded file, screenshot, or shared link can contain sensitive mental-health answers. Share it only with someone who should see the full response pattern.

Interpreting Results:

The Total score names the overall symptom lane, but the safest reading combines four pieces: total, Item 9, function difficulty, and the highest-scored symptom areas. A higher total usually means more frequent symptoms across more items. A lower total can still need prompt attention when Item 9 is above zero or daily function is already rated Very difficult or Extremely difficult.

  • Overall lane maps the 0 to 27 total into Minimal, Mild, Moderate, Moderately Severe, or Severe.
  • Cutoff context shows whether the total is below, at, or above the common 10-point review cue.
  • Support urgency combines the total with Item 9 and function difficulty so important safety or impairment cues are not hidden.
  • Top area and High-intensity items point to the symptoms that should be discussed in plain language, not only as a number.

A score of 10 or more supports fuller assessment, but it does not diagnose major depressive disorder. A score below 10 does not prove that nothing important is happening. Read the Answer review for the exact item answers and check When to seek support before relying on the band alone.

Repeat comparisons are strongest when each result is a complete PHQ-9 using the same two-week recall period. Keep the function answer and item pattern with the total, because the same score can come from very different symptom profiles.

Technical Details:

The PHQ-9 total is a straight sum of nine symptom-frequency ratings. The scale has no reverse-scored items and no weighting. Each item contributes 0, 1, 2, or 3 points, so the arithmetic is easy to audit and the maximum total is 27.

Two pieces sit beside the total rather than replacing it. The function question records impairment in daily life, and Item 9 identifies self-harm thoughts. Item 9 still adds to the score like the other symptoms, but any non-zero response is also a separate safety cue.

Formula Core

The total is the sum of the nine scored symptom items:

T = ∑ i=1 9 qi

Here, T is the PHQ-9 total and each q is one item score from 0 to 3. For example, scores of 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 0, and 0 add to 10, which enters the Moderate band and reaches the common review cue.

Part Scoring rule Included in total? Interpretation use
Items 1 to 9 Each symptom answer scores 0 to 3 Yes Forms the 0 to 27 Total score.
Function item Not difficult at all, somewhat difficult, very difficult, or extremely difficult No Shown as Function impact and used in follow-up cues.
Item 9 Scores 0 to 3 like other symptom items Yes Any score above 0 raises direct follow-up priority.
Item pattern Higher-scored symptoms are sorted and summarized No extra points Shows symptom drivers, lower anchors, and item-specific follow-up cues.

Severity Bands

The band boundaries are inclusive. A total of 9 remains Mild; a total of 10 enters Moderate and reaches the common 10-point review cue.

Band Score range Reading cue
Minimal 0 to 4 Below the mild cut point.
Mild 5 to 9 Symptoms are present but below the 10-point cue.
Moderate 10 to 14 At or above the common screening threshold.
Moderately Severe 15 to 19 Higher symptom burden, usually needing active follow-up.
Severe 20 to 27 The highest PHQ-9 score range.

Pattern and Urgency Rules

The provisional major-depression pattern check is item-level. Items 1 to 8 count as positive at 2 or 3. Item 9 counts as positive at 1, 2, or 3. The pattern is met only when at least five symptom items are positive, item 1 or item 2 is positive, and the function answer is at least Somewhat difficult.

First matching condition Support urgency result Why it matters
Item 9 score is above 0 Direct human follow-up Self-harm thoughts should be reviewed directly.
Total score is 20 to 27, or function is extremely difficult Prompt clinical review Severe burden or extreme impairment should not wait passively.
Total score is at least 10, or function is very difficult Structured follow-up The 10-point cue or strong daily impact supports fuller review.
Total score is at least 5, or function is somewhat difficult Watchful recheck Symptoms or impairment are present and should be followed.
No condition above applies Routine recheck Current burden is low, with repeat review if symptoms worsen.

Limitations and Responsible Use:

The PHQ-9 is an informational screening scale. It cannot diagnose depression, rule out another condition, measure immediate suicide risk by itself, or choose treatment without a qualified assessment.

  • Use the same two-week recall period for repeat checks.
  • Read Item 9 before focusing on the total score or severity band.
  • Daily function can change urgency even when the total is not high.
  • Physical illness, medication changes, substance use, pregnancy, grief, trauma, and sleep disruption can affect several items.
  • Routine scoring runs in the browser, but copied rows, downloaded files, screenshots, and shared links can expose sensitive answers.

Worked Examples:

Mild total with strong daily impact

Low interest scored 2, low mood scored 2, sleep changes scored 1, low energy scored 1, and the remaining symptom items scored 0. The Total score is 6 and the Overall lane is Mild. If the function answer is Very difficult, Support urgency moves to Structured follow-up because daily life is already affected.

Moderate score with pattern criteria met

Scores of 2 on interest, mood, sleep, energy, and appetite, plus 1 on self-worth, concentration, and movement, produce a Total score of 13. With function marked Somewhat difficult, the provisional pattern is met because five symptoms are positive, one of the first two items is positive, and function is affected.

Low total with a non-zero Item 9

A person who marks only Item 9 as Several days has a Total score of 1, which is Minimal. The Support urgency result still becomes Direct human follow-up because Item 9 should be discussed directly.

No result after the last symptom item

If the progress display shows 9 / 10 answered, the function question is still missing. Choose the function response, then review Function impact, Answer review, and When to seek support with the total score.

FAQ:

Does a PHQ-9 score of 10 or more diagnose depression?

No. A score of 10 or more is a common review cue. Diagnosis depends on a qualified assessment, symptom duration, impairment, safety, medical context, and whether another explanation fits better.

Why is the function question separate from the total?

The PHQ-9 total is defined by the nine symptom items. The function answer is still shown as Function impact because impairment can raise follow-up urgency without changing the score.

What should I do with a non-zero Item 9 answer?

Treat it as a direct follow-up cue. If self-harm thoughts feel actionable, safety feels uncertain, or immediate harm is possible, use emergency or crisis support now.

Can I compare this score with an older PHQ-9?

Yes, if the older result was another complete PHQ-9 using the same two-week recall period. A 5-point change is often used as a meaningful treatment-monitoring cue, but the item pattern and function answer still matter.

Why did the result not appear?

The assessment needs all nine symptom items and the function question. Use the progress display or question navigator to find the unanswered prompt, then the result will appear.

Where do my answers go?

Routine scoring happens in the browser. Copied rows, downloaded files, screenshots, and shared result links can still contain sensitive mental-health answers.

Glossary:

PHQ-9
A nine-item self-report depression screener using a two-week recall period.
Symptom total
The 0 to 27 score produced by adding the nine PHQ-9 symptom item scores.
Function item
The separate question about how much symptoms affect work, home responsibilities, or relationships.
Item 9
The PHQ-9 item about thoughts of being better off dead or self-harm.
10-point review cue
The common score threshold where fuller assessment is often considered.
Provisional pattern
An item-level rule check that requires enough positive symptoms, a positive mood or interest item, and at least some function difficulty.

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