GAD-7
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale
A 7-item screener for anxiety severity over the past two weeks.
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems? Select the response that best describes how you have been feeling.
About the GAD-7
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale was developed by Robert Spitzer and colleagues in 2006. It is the most widely used brief measure of anxiety severity and is embedded in primary care, mental health, and research settings around the world.
7 items. Takes roughly 2 minutes. Based on symptoms over the past two weeks. Appropriate for adults and adolescents.
Scoring
Each of the 7 items is scored 0–3 (Not at all, Several days, More than half the days, Nearly every day). Totals range 0–21. Scores of 5, 10, and 15 represent cutoffs for mild, moderate, and severe anxiety, respectively. A score of 10 or more is the most commonly used threshold for further evaluation.
Validity
At the 10+ threshold, the GAD-7 shows sensitivity of roughly 89% and specificity of 82% for generalized anxiety disorder. It also serves as a reasonable, though non-specific, screen for panic disorder, social anxiety, and PTSD.
Important: The GAD-7 is a severity measure, not a diagnosis. Anxiety symptoms overlap heavily with autism, ADHD, depression, and trauma — a high score here tells you something is worth looking at, not what the cause is.
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.