Total number of questions
9
Administration method
Self-report
Standardized cadence
Every 2 weeks
Age range
18+
Language
English
Scoring and interpretation
A 5+ point change in PHQ-9 scores is deemed clinically significant. Treatment recommendations are based on the clinical cutoff of the total severity score, as described below:
- 0 to 4: Minimal or none. Monitor, may not require treatment.
- 5 to 9: Mild. Use clinical judgement to determine necessity of treatment.
- 10 to 14: Moderate. Use clinical judgement to determine necessity of treatment.
- 15 to 19: Moderately Severe. Warrants active treatment with psychotherapy and/or meds.
- 20 to 27: Severe: Warrants active treatment with psychotherapy and/or meds.
Reliability and validity
PHQ-9 scores > 10 had a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 88% for Major Depressive Disorder. A study involving two different patient populations produced Cronbach alphas of .86 and .89.
Additional information
We'll automatically score the assessment and send you the results.