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Understanding the PHQ-9: what your depression screen score means
The PHQ-9 is the depression screen doctors reach for worldwide. How the 9 items add up, what 5, 10 and 15 mean, and when to see a professional — explained in one place.
What the PHQ-9 is
The PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), published by Kroenke, Spitzer and Williams in 2001, maps its nine items one-to-one onto the nine core symptoms of depression in the DSM criteria: loss of interest, low mood, sleep problems, fatigue, appetite change, poor self-worth, concentration problems, psychomotor changes and dark thoughts.
It was designed as a first-pass screen before a consultation: two or three minutes to flag the people who "didn't think of it as depression, but haven't felt okay in months". Its brevity and standardisation also made it the workhorse of research and online self-checks.
Reading the score
Each item scores 0–3 by frequency over the last two weeks (not at all = 0, nearly every day = 3), for a total of 0–27. The conventional bands: 0–4 none or minimal; 5–9 mild; 10–14 moderate; 15–19 moderately severe; 20–27 severe.
Two practical lines: a 10 — worth a professional assessment; a 15 — seek care promptly. Separately, item 9 (thoughts of self-harm) deserves to be taken seriously at any non-zero answer, whatever the total.
Remember the score's edges too: it covers only two weeks of symptom frequency, and physical illness (thyroid problems, for example), medications and recent bereavement can all inflate it. The number gives direction, not conclusions.
If the score is elevated, what next
From the moderate band (10–14) upward, the right move is "get assessed", not "self-diagnose": book an initial psychiatric or counselling interview and bring the score with you. Treatment options are richer than most people expect — psychotherapy (especially CBT and interpersonal therapy), lifestyle intervention and, when needed, medication, usually in combination.
While waiting for the appointment, protect three things: a regular sleep and wake time, daily daylight with light activity, and one genuine human connection. They don't replace treatment; they lay the floor for recovery.
Finally, treat the scale as a trend tool: retest in two weeks. A falling score is a good sign; a flat or rising one further supports getting professional help.
All scales on this site are widely used self-report instruments for self-understanding and screening only — they cannot replace a professional diagnosis. If you need help, please consult a doctor or therapist.