Brief mood and anxiety screen (PHQ-4)
Mood and anxiety in four questions. Answer the app’s questionnaire and see your result right away.
Source · Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW, Löwe B. An ultra-brief screening scale for anxiety and depression: the PHQ-4. Psychosomatics. 2009;50(6):613–621. Distributed by Pfizer.
PHQ-4: a quick look at mood and anxiety together
The PHQ-4 is an ultra-brief screen for depression and anxiety published by Kroenke, Spitzer, Williams and Löwe in 2009. It combines the two PHQ-2 questions on low mood and loss of interest with the two GAD-2 questions on nervousness and uncontrollable worry. You rate how often each bothered you over the last two weeks.
Reading your results
Each question scores 0–3 for a total of 0–12. The result screen shows 0–2 as normal, 3–5 as mild, 6–8 as moderate and 9–12 as severe. Along with the total, compare the first two questions (mood) with the last two (anxiety). If one side is higher, the PHQ-9 or GAD-7 is the natural next step for that side. A diagnosis is made in a clinical conversation.
| Score | Result range |
|---|---|
| 0–2 | Normal |
| 3–5 | Mild |
| 6–8 | Moderate |
| 9–12 | Severe |
A question to reflect on
Add up the two mood questions and the two anxiety questions separately. For the higher side, note when in the day it was strongest. That tells you which check to try next and what to talk about.
Frequently asked questions
- How many questions are in Brief mood and anxiety screen (PHQ-4), and how long does it take?
- There are 4 questions, and it usually takes about 1 minute. For each question you choose one of 4 answers, from “Not at all” to “Nearly every day”. There are no right or wrong answers.
- Can the PHQ-4 tell me about both depression and anxiety?
- It is good for a quick sweep of both. With only two questions per side, follow up a higher side with the PHQ-9 or GAD-7.
- My total is low but one pair is high.
- That happens. Even with a low total, points concentrated on the mood or anxiety side are worth a closer look.
- How often should I take it?
- It asks about two weeks, so about every two weeks works for comparing. Its short length makes it handy for regular check-ins.
- What does my Brief mood and anxiety screen (PHQ-4) score mean?
- On this Brief mood and anxiety screen (PHQ-4) check, the result screen reads 0–2 normal, 3–5 mild, 6–8 moderate, 9–12 severe. A score is a starting point for reflection and conversation, not a diagnosis.
- Do I need to sign in? Are my answers saved?
- You can see your results right away without signing in. Your answers are used only for scoring and are not stored on our servers.
- Can I bring these results into a counseling session?
- Use the analysis button at the bottom of the result screen to have a short conversation with Maeumi without signing in. After the conversation, you can continue in the app. The web conversation does not transfer automatically to the app.
- Can I share my results with a friend?
- Yes. Use Share at the top right of the result screen to send a friend the check itself, or share your result as a link or story image. A result link carries your scores inside the address only; it does not include your name or account, and nothing is saved on our side.