Online Depression Test

The following free depression test is based on the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9), one of the most commonly-used tools used to measure symptoms and severity of depression.

Completing the test can help you get a better idea of whether you might need help for depression.

Choose one answer for each of the questions below. Be sure to answer all of the questions.

We do not keep a record of the results or any identifying information.

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things

 
 
 
 

2. Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless

 
 
 
 

3. Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much

 
 
 
 

4. Feeling tired or having little energy

 
 
 
 

5. Poor appetite or overeating

 
 
 
 

6. Feeling bad about yourself – or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down

 
 
 
 

7. Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television

 
 
 
 

8. Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed? Or the opposite – being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual

 
 
 
 

9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way

 
 
 
 

Disclaimer

This on-line depression test can help you identify symptoms of anxiety, their severity and to know when further assessment may be warranted.

It will not provide a diagnosis – for that you need to see an appropriately qualified doctor or mental health professional.

A diagnosis of an anxiety disorder should not be made based on PHQ-9 scores alone.

High GAD-7 scores can occur at very stressful and busy times, but if you are worried about, or troubled by symptoms of anxiety, you should see a health professional to stop symptoms from getting worse.

Thoughts of Self Harm or Suicide

If you had thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way more than half the days or nearly every day in the last 2 weeks seek treatment from a health professional as soon as possible.

If you or someone you know needs crisis counselling, call Lifeline’s 24 hour telephone crisis support service 13 11 14.

If you are facing a medical emergency from self-harm call an ambulance (000) or go to the emergency department of your local hospital.

References

  • Gilbody, S., Richards, D., Brealey, S., & Hewitt, C. (2007). Screening for depression in medical settings with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ): A diagnostic meta-analysis. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 22,1596-1602.
  • Kroenke, K., & Spitzer, R. L. (2002). The PHQ-9: A new depression diagnostic and severity measure. Psychiatric Annals, 32(9), 509-515.- Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (2001). The PHQ-9: Validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606-613.
  • Löwe, B., Unützer, J., Callahan, C. M., Perkins, A. J., & Kroenke, K. (2004). Monitoring depression treatment outcomes with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Medical Care, 42(12), 1194-1201.
  • Titov, N., Dear, B. F., McMillan, D., Anderson, T., Zou, J., & Sunderland, M. (2011) Psychometric comparison of the PHQ-9 and BDI-II for measuring response during internet treatment for depression. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 40(2), 126-136.

See also: Online Anxiety Test