GAD-7
Anxiety Screener (GAD-7)
A 7-question self-screener used widely in primary care to gauge generalized anxiety severity over the past two weeks.
- Questions:
- 7
- Time:
- 2 minutes
- Source:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale
Educational screener only. Not a medical diagnosis. Your answers are not saved, transmitted, or tracked.
About the GAD-7
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7) was developed by Drs. Robert Spitzer, Kurt Kroenke, Janet Williams, and Bernd Löwe in 2006. It was designed as a brief screening tool for generalized anxiety disorder and has since been validated for screening other anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, social anxiety, and PTSD.
A score of 10 or higher is the standard cutoff for "likely generalized anxiety disorder" in research and clinical practice. The instrument is widely used in primary care, mental health, and research settings around the world.
What the GAD-7 Does (and Does Not) Do
A GAD-7 score is a useful educational signal — it tells you roughly where your anxiety symptoms sit on a severity scale. It is not a diagnosis. Anxiety can stem from many sources, and a clinician can distinguish generalized anxiety from conditions with overlapping presentations (panic disorder, social anxiety, OCD, PTSD, thyroid problems, caffeine sensitivity, and others).
Use your score as a conversation starter, not a verdict.
Next Steps
If your score suggests mild or higher symptoms, consider:
- Reading about anxiety to understand the condition better
- Exploring evidence-based therapies like CBT or ACT
- Speaking with your primary care provider or a licensed therapist
For more specific anxiety presentations, see panic disorder, social anxiety, or phobias.
Citation
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.