PHQ-4 Depression and Anxiety Test — Free 1-Minute 4-Question Screen
- Free
- 4 questions
- No sign-up
- Instant result
A free one-minute screen using the PHQ-4, which combines two depression items (PHQ-2) and two anxiety items (GAD-2) about the past two weeks. You get a 0-6 score for each; three or more is a signal that a fuller check is worth doing. Quick enough for a busy day.
What's included
- Questions
- 4 items
- Price
- Free
- Areas measured
- Anxiety Score (GAD-2) · Depression Score (PHQ-2)
When this check is useful
It suits moments when you have no room for a long questionnaire but want a quick read on how you are doing, when you want a first sense of whether depression or anxiety is shifting first, or when you would like a light weekly record. With only four items it takes under a minute and is easy to repeat even on busy days.
The four items are feeling nervous or on edge and being unable to stop worrying (the two anxiety items, GAD-2), plus loss of interest or pleasure and feeling down or hopeless (the two depression items, PHQ-2): only the core symptoms of each condition are kept. The PHQ-4 is a standard instrument published by Kroenke and colleagues in 2009 and widely used in clinical practice and research, but being brief it does not ask about sleep, appetite or concentration, so treat it as a first step before a fuller check rather than a replacement for one.
What to do with your result
You receive an anxiety (GAD-2) score and a depression (PHQ-2) score, each 0-6. A score of 0-2 is within the normal range; 3-6 is a positive screen, meaning that area deserves a closer look. If the depression score is 3 or more, follow up with the PHQ-9; if the anxiety score is 3 or more, follow up with the GAD-7. The original paper also bands the total (0-12) as 0-2 normal, 3-5 mild, 6-8 moderate and 9-12 severe, but this app reports the two area scores separately.
A positive screen is not a diagnosis but a signal to look further. Conversely, even with 0-2 points, if work, study or relationships are clearly affected or you have thoughts of dying, seek professional help regardless of the score. Because the check is so short, repeating it weekly or every two weeks on the same day of the week gives a light record of how you are doing and shows which of the two areas rises first.
How scores are interpreted
Anxiety Score (GAD-2)
This is the anxiety symptom screening score (0-6 points). A score of 3 or higher suggests that further evaluation for a possible anxiety disorder is recommended.
0–2pts · Normal
The anxiety screening result is within the normal range.
3–6pts · Screen Positive
Positive for anxiety screening (3 points or higher). Further evaluation or professional consultation is recommended due to the possibility of an anxiety disorder.
Depression Score (PHQ-2)
This is the depression symptom screening score (0-6 points). A score of 3 or higher suggests that further evaluation for a possible depressive disorder is recommended.
0–2pts · Normal
The depression screening result is within the normal range.
3–6pts · Screen Positive
Positive for depression screening (3 points or higher). Further evaluation or professional consultation is recommended due to the possibility of a depressive disorder.
Sample questions
- 1. Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge
- 2. Not being able to stop or control worrying
- 3. Little interest or pleasure in doing work or leisure activities
- 4. Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?
FAQ
How do I read my PHQ-4 score?
Each of the four items scores 0-3, and the two anxiety items (GAD-2) and two depression items (PHQ-2) are summed separately, giving 0-6 for each area. Per area, 0-2 is within the normal range and 3-6 is a positive screen. A positive screen only signals that the area deserves a closer look; it is not a diagnosis.
Does a positive screen mean I have depression or an anxiety disorder?
No. The PHQ-4 is an ultra-brief screen that asks only two core symptoms per area, so a positive result means "worth a closer look". Follow a depression score of 3 or more with the PHQ-9 and an anxiety score of 3 or more with the GAD-7, and if symptoms persist beyond two weeks or clearly disrupt daily life, talk to a psychiatrist or counsellor.
How is this different from the PHQ-9 or GAD-7?
The PHQ-4 combines the first two items of the PHQ-9 with the first two of the GAD-7. That lets you sweep depression and anxiety together in under a minute, but it skips the remaining symptoms such as sleep, appetite, concentration and restlessness, so it cannot grade severity finely. Use the PHQ-4 for a quick first check and the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 for detailed confirmation and tracking.
How often should I take it?
Because the items cover the past two weeks, weekly or once every two weeks is a good rhythm. It takes only a minute, so repeating it on the same day of the week gives a light record of how you are doing. If you screen positive twice in a row or the score keeps rising, take the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 for a closer look.
Source
The items in this test are a self-check adaptation based on the original instrument and literature below: Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. (2009). An ultra-brief screening scale for anxiety and depression: The PHQ-4. Psychosomatics, 50(6), 613–621.
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This is a self-screening tool, not a medical diagnosis. If the result concerns you, please consult a mental health professional.