PHQ-9 Depression Score Calculator
Calculate your PHQ-9 depression screening score with instant severity interpretation, somatic/cognitive subscale analysis, and clinical recommendations.
Medical disclaimer: This calculator is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Results are general estimates and may not reflect your individual circumstances. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions about your health.
Formula
PHQ-9 Total = Sum of Q1 through Q9 (each 0-3) | Range: 0-27
The PHQ-9 scores nine DSM criteria for depression on a 0-3 scale based on frequency over the past two weeks. Total scores map to severity: 0-4 minimal, 5-9 mild, 10-14 moderate, 15-19 moderately severe, 20-27 severe.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Mild Depression Screening
Problem:A patient scores: Q1=1, Q2=1, Q3=2, Q4=1, Q5=0, Q6=1, Q7=1, Q8=0, Q9=0. Interpret the result.
Solution:Total score: 1+1+2+1+0+1+1+0+0 = 7 Severity: Mild Depression (5-9 range) Somatic subscale: Q3+Q4+Q5+Q8 = 2+1+0+0 = 3/12 Cognitive subscale: Q1+Q2+Q6+Q7+Q9 = 1+1+1+1+0 = 4/15 Q9 (self-harm): 0 — No safety concern Recommendation: Watchful waiting, repeat in 2-4 weeks
Result:PHQ-9 = 7 | Mild Depression | Watchful waiting recommended
Example 2: Treatment Response Monitoring
Problem:A patient on antidepressants had baseline PHQ-9 of 18. After 6 weeks, scores: Q1=1, Q2=1, Q3=1, Q4=2, Q5=1, Q6=1, Q7=0, Q8=1, Q9=0.
Solution:New total: 1+1+1+2+1+1+0+1+0 = 8 Baseline: 18 (Moderately Severe) Current: 8 (Mild) Change: -10 points (>5 = clinically significant response) Q9 improved from prior positive to 0 Recommendation: Treatment is working, continue current regimen
Result:PHQ-9 dropped from 18 to 8 | 10-point improvement | Treatment response confirmed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PHQ-9 and how is it used clinically?
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a widely validated, self-administered screening tool for major depressive disorder. Developed by Drs. Robert Spitzer, Janet Williams, and Kurt Kroenke in 1999, it is based directly on the nine diagnostic criteria for major depression from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Each question is scored from 0 to 3, yielding a total between 0 and 27. Clinicians use it for initial screening, monitoring treatment response over time, and measuring depression severity. It is used in primary care, mental health settings, research studies, and even occupational health assessments worldwide. The PHQ-9 takes approximately two minutes to complete.
What do the PHQ-9 score ranges mean?
The PHQ-9 score is interpreted across five severity ranges. A score of 0 to 4 indicates minimal depression symptoms that generally do not require treatment. Scores of 5 to 9 suggest mild depression where watchful waiting and lifestyle modifications may be appropriate. Moderate depression falls in the 10 to 14 range, where counseling or medication should be considered. Moderately severe depression, scored 15 to 19, typically warrants active treatment with antidepressants and psychotherapy. Severe depression is indicated by scores of 20 to 27 and calls for immediate treatment initiation, often combining medication with therapy and possibly specialist referral. A score of 10 or higher is commonly used as the clinical cutoff for major depression.
How accurate is the PHQ-9 for diagnosing depression?
The PHQ-9 has been extensively validated across diverse populations and settings. At the standard cutoff score of 10, it demonstrates a sensitivity of 88 percent and specificity of 88 percent for detecting major depressive disorder. This means it correctly identifies 88 percent of people with depression and correctly rules out 88 percent of people without depression. However, the PHQ-9 is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. A positive screen should be followed by a clinical interview to confirm diagnosis, assess for comorbid conditions, evaluate suicide risk, and rule out other causes of symptoms such as thyroid disorders, medication side effects, or substance use. The PHQ-9 is most valuable when used longitudinally to track symptom changes over time.
What is the significance of Question 9 about self-harm?
Question 9 asks about thoughts of being better off dead or hurting yourself. Any score above 0 on this question is considered clinically significant and warrants immediate further assessment, regardless of the total PHQ-9 score. A positive response does not necessarily mean the person is suicidal, but it indicates the presence of death-related ideation that requires careful clinical evaluation. Clinicians should conduct a thorough suicide risk assessment including asking about frequency and duration of thoughts, specific plans, access to means, prior attempts, and protective factors. If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 in the United States for immediate support.
How often should the PHQ-9 be administered for monitoring?
For treatment monitoring, the PHQ-9 should ideally be administered at each clinical visit, typically every two to four weeks during active treatment. A reduction of 5 or more points from the baseline score is considered a clinically meaningful response to treatment, while a score below 5 indicates remission. If starting antidepressant medication, reassessment at four to six weeks helps determine if the medication is effective. For patients in remission, quarterly reassessment during the continuation phase of treatment helps detect early relapse. In primary care screening settings, annual screening is recommended for adults by many clinical guidelines. Tracking scores over time provides an objective measure of progress that complements clinical observation and patient self-report.
What is the difference between the PHQ-2 and the PHQ-9?
The PHQ-2 is simply the first two items of the PHQ-9: loss of interest or pleasure (anhedonia) and depressed mood. It is used as an ultra-brief first-stage screen because those two symptoms are the DSM core criteria, and one of them must be present for a major depressive episode. A positive PHQ-2 is normally followed by the full nine-item questionnaire to grade severity. The PHQ-9 adds the somatic, cognitive and safety items and produces the 0 to 27 score PHQ-9 Depression Score Calculator reports.
What do the somatic and cognitive subscale percentages tell you?
This tool splits the nine items into a somatic cluster (sleep disturbance, fatigue, appetite change, psychomotor change) scored out of 12, and a cognitive-affective cluster (anhedonia, depressed mood, worthlessness, concentration, death-related thoughts) scored out of 15. The split is descriptive, not diagnostic. A somatic-heavy profile is worth flagging to a clinician because sleep, appetite and energy symptoms overlap with conditions such as thyroid disease, anaemia, chronic pain and medication side effects, which can inflate the total without depression being the driver.
Why does the questionnaire ask about the last two weeks specifically?
The two-week recall window mirrors the DSM duration criterion for a major depressive episode, which requires symptoms to be present most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks. The response options map frequency onto that window, which is why the top option corresponds to nearly every day. Answering about a longer stretch, or about a single bad week, breaks the alignment with the criterion and makes the total harder for a clinician to interpret alongside published severity bands.
What does the unscored tenth question about difficulty add?
The full instrument ends with an item asking how difficult the symptoms have made work, home life and relationships. It is not added into the 0 to 27 total, so it does not change the number PHQ-9 Depression Score Calculator produces, but it captures functional impairment, which is a separate DSM requirement for diagnosis. Two people can post the same symptom score while one continues functioning and the other cannot work. Clinicians use that answer to weigh urgency and to judge whether treatment is actually restoring function.
When can a high score reflect something other than depression?
The questionnaire measures symptom frequency, not cause. Elevated totals also occur in bipolar depression, grief, post-partum states, anxiety disorders, substance use, sleep disorders and general medical conditions, and in bipolar disorder in particular the treatment implications differ substantially from unipolar depression. Language, literacy and cultural expression of distress also shift how items are read. This is why the result is a screening estimate for education only and why a formal diagnosis requires clinical interview by a qualified professional rather than a score alone.
References
Reviewed for accuracy by Rahul Singh, Health & Wellness Specialist · Editorial policy
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