GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7) Calculator

What is GAD-7?

The GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7) is a self-administered questionnaire used to assess the severity of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It consists of seven items that measure the severity of various signs of GAD according to reported symptoms over the past two weeks. The GAD-7 has become a popular tool in both clinical and research settings for its simplicity, reliability, and validity.

GAD-7 Formula

Each of the seven items on the GAD-7 is scored from 0 to 3, with the following responses:

• 0: Not at all
• 1: Several days
• 2: More than half the days
• 3: Nearly every day

The scores for all seven items are then added together to get a total score that ranges from 0 to 21.

Interpretation of Scores

The total score for the GAD-7 is interpreted as follows:

• 0-4: Minimal anxiety
• 5-9: Mild anxiety
• 10-14: Moderate anxiety
• 15-21: Severe anxiety

Higher scores indicate greater levels of anxiety. The GAD-7 score can help determine the severity of anxiety and guide potential treatment options. However, it’s important to note that the GAD-7 is not a diagnostic tool but a screening tool that helps identify the possible presence of GAD. A full clinical evaluation is necessary to diagnose GAD accurately.

References:

• Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006 May 22;166(10):1092-7. doi: 10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092. PMID: 16717171.