GAD-7 Anxiety Calculator

The GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale) is a validated self-report questionnaire used to screen for and assess the severity of generalized anxiety disorder. It asks about seven core anxiety symptoms experienced over the past two weeks, producing a total score from 0 to 21 that maps to four severity levels: Minimal (0–4), Mild (5–9), Moderate (10–14), and Severe (15–21).

The GAD-7 score is obtained by adding the score for each of the seven questions. Each question is rated on a 0–3 scale: Not at all (0), Several days (1), More than half the days (2), and Nearly every day (3). The maximum possible score is 21.

Scores of 0–4 indicate minimal anxiety, 5–9 indicate mild anxiety, 10–14 indicate moderate anxiety, and 15–21 indicate severe anxiety. A score of 10 or higher is commonly used as a cut-point for clinically significant anxiety warranting further evaluation or treatment.

All seven questions on the GAD-7 ask how often you have been bothered by each symptom over the last 2 weeks. This 2-week reference period is standard for capturing current anxiety severity rather than lifetime symptoms.

The 8th item asks how much your anxiety symptoms have made it difficult to do your work, handle things at home, or get along with others. This question assesses functional impairment but is NOT included in the GAD-7 total score — it provides additional clinical context about how much anxiety is affecting your daily life.

The GAD-7 has strong psychometric properties for a screening tool. At a cut-point of 10, it demonstrates a sensitivity of approximately 89% and specificity of 82% for generalized anxiety disorder. It also performs well for screening panic disorder, social anxiety, and PTSD. However, it is a screening tool and not a diagnostic instrument — a formal diagnosis requires clinical evaluation.

Yes. The GAD-7 is widely used in clinical settings to track changes in anxiety severity over time and in response to treatment. Repeating the questionnaire at regular intervals allows clinicians and patients to objectively measure whether symptoms are improving, stable, or worsening.

If your score is 10 or above, it is recommended to discuss the results with a qualified healthcare provider. A score in the moderate-to-severe range (10–21) suggests that anxiety may be significantly affecting your well-being and that professional evaluation, and possibly treatment, is warranted. This calculator is a screening tool only and does not replace a clinical assessment.