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Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4)

Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) Test

Understand possible anxiety and depression symptoms in 1 minute. Four quick items support fast triage and help decide if further assessment or referral is needed.

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Questions: 41 minute

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

15,261 view

1,901 completion

1,361 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

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How the Scales are Structured

example score

4/12

Anxiety and Depression Screening (AaDS)

PHQ-4 measures the overall severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms over the past two weeks using four brief items.

Minimal

Mild

Moderate to severe

0 – 2: Minimal | 3 – 5: Mild | 6 – 12: Moderate to severe

A score of 4 falls in the Mild range, indicating a low-to-moderate level of recent anxiety/depression symptoms on this brief screening scale.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Stressed, low mood adults

41%OF USERS

People who have recently felt anxious, down, or unable to enjoy things and want a quick check of how serious it might be.

Therapy and clinic intake

34%OF USERS

Clients or patients completing initial screening during a visit so a clinician can decide whether further assessment or referral is needed.

Research and workplace screening

25%OF USERS

Participants in studies or routine check-ins where a brief, standardized measure is needed to estimate anxiety and depression symptoms fast.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
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Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

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Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Anxiety and Depression Screening, PHQ-4 (AaDSP)

Average

8.6

Normal range

7.1 — 10.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It screens for core symptoms of anxiety and depression over the past two weeks. It provides a brief estimate of symptom severity.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

It includes 4 questions and typically takes about 1 minute to complete.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best describes how often each symptom occurred during the past two weeks. Answer all items based on typical days, not unusual events.

How are results interpreted?

Higher total scores indicate greater symptom burden. Results are used to decide whether further assessment or referral is needed.

Does this questionnaire provide a diagnosis?

No, it is a screening tool and does not establish a clinical diagnosis. A qualified clinician should confirm findings with a full evaluation when indicated.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) Test - Symptoms and Signs

depression uneasiness

This brief self-report screener is used to identify possible symptoms of anxiety and depression over the prior two weeks. Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) is intended for rapid initial case-finding and to inform whether more comprehensive assessment may be warranted.

Developed by Kurt Kroenke, it includes 4 items and typically takes about 1 minutes to complete. Scores provide an overall index of emotional distress and separate indicators of anxiety- and depression-related symptom burden.

Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) is commonly used in primary care, behavioral health, and research settings as part of routine symptom monitoring, and results should be interpreted in the context of clinical interview and other relevant information.

Author: janet-b-w-williams, Kurt Kroenke, robert-l-spitzer

Literature: Löwe, B., Wahl, I., Rose, M., Spitzer, C., Glaesmer, H., Wingenfeld, K., Schneider, A., & Brähler, E. A 4-item measure of depression and anxiety: validation and standardization of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) in the general population. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2010.; Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. An ultra-brief screening scale for anxiety and depression: the PHQ-4. Psychosomatics. 2009.

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