Home / Brain Tools / GAD-7 Anxiety Screening
Brain Tools

GAD-7 Anxiety Screening

By Dr. Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., MFT

The GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale) is one of the most widely used anxiety screening tools in clinical practice. It was developed and validated by Spitzer et al. (2006) and is now standard in primary care, mental health settings, and research worldwide.

This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. A high score indicates that anxiety symptoms may be present and warrants a conversation with a qualified clinician.

Take the GAD-7

Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?

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

1. Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge

     

2. Not being able to stop or control worrying

     

3. Worrying too much about different things

     

4. Trouble relaxing

     

5. Being so restless that it is hard to sit still

     

6. Becoming easily annoyed or irritable

     

7. Feeling afraid as if something awful might happen

     

Ready for next steps?

Work with Dr. Cowan.

Learn More

Educational content only. Not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.