GAD-7

GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7) is a self-administered patient questionnaire used as a screening tool and severity measure for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It consists of seven items that assess the frequency of anxiety symptoms over the past two weeks.

Development and Purpose

The GAD-7 was developed by Dr. Robert L. Spitzer, Dr. Janet B.W. Williams, Dr. Kurt Kroenke, and colleagues, with an aim to provide a brief and efficient tool for identifying generalized anxiety disorder in clinical practice and research. It is part of the larger Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) series, which also includes the PHQ-9 for depression.

Structure and Scoring

The GAD-7 consists of seven questions, each scored on a scale from 0 to 3:

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

The total score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater severity of anxiety. The cut-off points for mild, moderate, and severe anxiety are typically set at 5, 10, and 15, respectively.

Clinical Use

The GAD-7 is widely used in primary care settings, mental health clinics, and research studies. It helps clinicians to:

• Screen for generalized anxiety disorder
• Assess the severity of anxiety symptoms
• Monitor changes in anxiety over time
• Evaluate the effectiveness of treatment interventions

Interpretation

Scores on the GAD-7 are interpreted as follows:

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

Advantages

The GAD-7 is valued for its brevity, ease of use, and strong psychometric properties. It has been validated in various populations and is available in multiple languages.

Related Pages

• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Patient Health Questionnaire
• PHQ-9
• Anxiety disorder
• Mental health
• Screening (medicine)

See Also

• Beck Anxiety Inventory
• Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale
• Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale