GAD-7 scoring: what your 0–21 score means
CareOps editorial team · · 4 min read
Mental wellness information and service guidance published by CareOps.
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The CareOps editorial team publishes these guides. Sources are linked at the end of each article; examples are illustrative, not customer stories. Product descriptions refer to CareOps Maeumi. Publication and revision dates appear above.
Read our full editorial standards →The GAD-7 is seven questions about worry and tension over the past two weeks, and it is one of the most common anxiety checks used by doctors and researchers. If you have just taken it, here is how the score is worked out and what each range means.
At a glance
- The GAD-7 has seven questions, each scored 0 to 3, so the total runs from 0 to 21.
- Scores of 5, 10 and 15 mark the start of the mild, moderate and severe ranges; 10 or more is the commonly used screening threshold.
- It is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Which questions scored highest often says as much as the total.
What is the GAD-7?
The GAD-7 was published in 2006 by Robert Spitzer, Kurt Kroenke, Janet Williams and Bernd Löwe as a brief self-report measure of generalized anxiety. Its seven questions cover feeling nervous or on edge, worry that is hard to stop, worrying about many things, trouble relaxing, restlessness, irritability and a sense that something awful might happen. Each asks about the past two weeks.
The original study took place in 15 US primary care clinics. Of 2,740 adult patients who completed it, 965 also had a telephone interview with a mental health professional. The authors identified a cut point that balanced sensitivity (89%) and specificity (82%) for generalized anxiety, and higher scores went along with more difficulty in daily functioning.
How is the GAD-7 scored?
Each question has four answers about how often it has bothered you, and each answer has a point value:
- Not at all scores 0.
- Several days scores 1.
- More than half the days scores 2.
- Nearly every day scores 3.
- Add all seven answers together. The total is your GAD-7 score, from 0 to 21.
GAD-7 score interpretation
| Total score | Range | A reasonable next step |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | Minimal | Keep noticing how worry changes; retake if it grows |
| 5–9 | Mild | Watch the pattern over a few weeks and try a structured way to handle worry |
| 10–14 | Moderate | Worth talking over with a professional |
| 15–21 | Severe | Reach out to a doctor or mental health professional soon |
A score of 10 or more is the threshold most often used for screening. It suggests anxiety has been showing up often enough that a fuller conversation with a professional makes sense. Scores below 10 do not mean worry is unimportant; if it is affecting your sleep, work or relationships, it is still worth attention.
Two people with the same total can have very different weeks. One may mostly have trouble relaxing and feel restless; another may mostly be caught in worry that will not stop. Looking at which questions you scored highest on helps you decide where to start.
GAD-7 vs GAD-2
The GAD-2 is the first two GAD-7 questions, with a total from 0 to 6 and a usual cut point of 3. It is a quick first step; the GAD-7 adds five questions and shows how strong anxiety is. See GAD-2 scoring and anxiety tests compared for more.
Take the GAD-7 now
You can take the GAD-7 here for free, without signing up. Your score appears right away, along with what the range means.
Try a self-assessment without signing inAnxiety (GAD-7)How much anxiety and worry occupy your day. Answer the app’s questionnaire and see your result right away.Start the check →What to do with a high score
A high score is information, not a verdict. It helps to notice when the worry is strongest, what it tends to be about, and what you do when it shows up. If worry is crowding your days, structured techniques such as worry time can help.
CareOps Maeumi is an AI counseling app that starts with short self-checks like this one and remembers earlier sessions, so each conversation builds on the last. You can talk by voice or text. Sign-up and initial self-checks are free; check your account’s session offer and pricing before payment. You can use it alongside care from a licensed professional.
Frequently asked questions
- How is the GAD-7 scored?
- Each of the seven questions is scored 0 (not at all), 1 (several days), 2 (more than half the days) or 3 (nearly every day). Add them together for a total from 0 to 21.
- What does a GAD-7 score of 10 mean?
- 10 is the start of the moderate range and the threshold most often used for screening. It suggests anxiety has been frequent enough that talking it over with a professional is worthwhile. It is a screening result, not a diagnosis.
- What are the GAD-7 score ranges?
- 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate and 15–21 severe.
- What is the difference between the GAD-7 and the GAD-2?
- The GAD-2 is the first two questions of the GAD-7, scored 0 to 6. The GAD-7 has seven questions and a range of 0 to 21, and gives a fuller picture of how strong anxiety is.
Sources
This guide shares mental wellness information. If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services where you are. Support and contact information.