GAD-7 Anxiety Score Calculator

GAD-7: Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale

The GAD-7 is a short self-report scale that screens for generalized anxiety using seven items. Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams & Löwe published and validated it in 2006 (Archives of Internal Medicine). Each item asks how often a symptom bothered you over the past two weeks, rated on a 0–3 Likert scale (0=not at all, 3=nearly every day). You add up the items for the total: score = Σ items, range 0–21.

The usual cut-offs run ≥5 for mild anxiety, ≥10 for moderate and ≥15 for severe. At the cut-off of 10, the scale reaches 89% sensitivity and 82% specificity for generalized anxiety disorder in primary care. It can also flag panic, social anxiety and PTSD, although it is less specific for those.

Applications

It shows up in routine primary-care screening, in tracking how someone responds to therapy or medication (a drop of 4 points or more counts as clinically meaningful), in occupational health programs, telemedicine intake and as a research outcome measure. Because the GAD-7 sits in the public domain, you will find it in dozens of validated translations.

FAQ

Does a high score mean I have an anxiety disorder? No. The GAD-7 screens; it does not diagnose. A score ≥10 just means a clinical interview with a qualified mental-health professional is a sensible next step.

How often should I retake it? During active treatment, every 2–4 weeks works well. When you are not in treatment, taking it more than once a month tells you almost nothing new.

Important notice: This tool is not a substitute for professional evaluation. If your score is high, or if you are having thoughts of self-harm, talk to a psychologist or psychiatrist. In Brazil, you can call CVV (188) for emotional support, any hour of the day.