Important Disclaimer
This screening tool is for educational and self-awareness purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
What This Assessment Measures
- Excessive worry and nervousness
- Inability to stop or control worrying
- Worrying about multiple different things
- Difficulty relaxing
- Restlessness or feeling on edge
- Irritability
- Feelings of dread or apprehension
7
Questions
2–4
Minutes
100%
Confidential
About the GAD-7
The GAD-7 was developed by Drs. Robert L. Spitzer, Kurt Kroenke, Janet B.W. Williams, and Bernd Löwe. It is a brief, validated measure of generalized anxiety disorder severity that has been extensively tested across diverse populations and clinical settings.
The GAD-7 is particularly useful because it not only screens for generalized anxiety disorder but also provides a severity measure that can be used to monitor treatment response over time. While primarily designed for GAD, research has shown it has good sensitivity for detecting panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the GAD-7?+
The GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale) is a validated screening tool used to assess the severity of generalized anxiety. It consists of 7 questions about anxiety symptoms experienced over the past two weeks.
How accurate is the GAD-7?+
The GAD-7 has excellent reliability and validity. At a cutoff score of 10, it has a sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 82% for detecting generalized anxiety disorder. It is one of the most widely used anxiety measures in clinical practice.
How is the GAD-7 scored?+
Each question is scored 0-3, giving a total range of 0-21. Scores of 0-4 indicate minimal anxiety, 5-9 mild, 10-14 moderate, and 15-21 severe anxiety.
Can the GAD-7 detect other anxiety disorders?+
While designed for generalized anxiety disorder, research shows the GAD-7 has reasonable sensitivity for detecting panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and PTSD, making it a useful general anxiety screener.
Are my responses stored?+
No. All responses remain completely private and local to your browser. No data is collected, stored, or transmitted to any server.
References
- Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JBW, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092-1097.
- Löwe B, Decker O, Müller S, et al. Validation and standardization of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7). Med Care. 2008;46(3):266-274.
- Plummer F, Manea L, Trepel D, McMillan D. Screening for anxiety disorders with the GAD-7 and GAD-2. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2016;39:24-31.
- American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). 2013.
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