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Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) Test

Pinpoint whether anxiety, depression, or both may be driving symptoms in about 3 minutes. Two clear scores support fast screening, rehab monitoring, and next-step care decisions.

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Questions: 143 minutes

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

28,351 view

2,670 completions

2,006 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

12/21

Anxiety (A)

Measures the severity of anxiety symptoms, including generalized anxiety and panic-related fears.

Normal

Borderline

Elevated

0 – 7: Normal | 8 – 10: Borderline | 11 – 21: Elevated

A score of 12 falls in the Elevated range, indicating a higher level of anxiety symptoms on this scale.

example score

8/21

Depression (D)

Assesses depressive symptoms focused on low mood and anhedonia in medical patients.

Normal

Borderline

Elevated

0 – 7: Normal | 8 – 10: Borderline | 11 – 21: Elevated

A score of 8 falls in the Borderline range, suggesting mild depressive features that may warrant monitoring in the clinical context.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Patients with chronic illness

41%OF USERS

People dealing with ongoing medical conditions who want to check whether anxiety or low mood is affecting their symptoms and daily functioning.

Rehabilitation and injury patients

34%OF USERS

Individuals in medical rehab, including those with movement limitations, who need quick monitoring of emotional well-being during recovery.

Outpatients with unexplained complaints

25%OF USERS

People visiting clinics for fatigue, pain, or other physical issues who want to see if anxiety or depression may be contributing.

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

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
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.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

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 (A)

Average

10.1

Normal range

6.6 — 13.6

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.

Depression (D)

Average

14.5

Normal range

11.2 — 17.9

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 symptoms of anxiety and depression. It provides separate scores for each domain.

Who is it intended for?

It is designed for use with adult outpatients and people in medical or rehabilitation settings. A modified version is available for individuals with motor impairments.

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

It includes 14 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Items are divided evenly between anxiety and depression.

How are the results used?

Scores support quick identification of clinically relevant anxiety or depressive symptoms. Results can guide next-step assessment, treatment planning, and monitoring over time.

What instructions should be followed when completing it?

Select the response option that best describes feelings over the recent period indicated on the form. All items should be answered to support accurate scoring.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) Test - Symptoms and Signs

depression anxiety disorder

This brief self-report screening measure is commonly used to identify symptoms of anxiety and depression in medical settings. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is designed to support initial detection of clinically relevant emotional distress while minimizing confounding by somatic complaints.

The instrument includes 14 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. It yields separate subscale scores for anxiety and depression to inform clinical triage, differential consideration, and decisions about further evaluation or monitoring. The measure was developed by R. P. Snaith and A. S. Zigmond, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is often administered in outpatient, inpatient, and rehabilitation contexts as an adjunct to clinical interview rather than a standalone diagnostic tool.

Author: A. S. Zigmond, R. P. Snaith

Literature: Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Brown, G. K. Manual for the Beck depression inventory-II. Psychological Corporation. 1996.; Radloff, L. S. The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement. 1977.; Bjelland, I., Dahl, A. A., Haug, T. T., & Neckelmann, D. The validity of the hospital anxiety and depression scale: An updated literature review. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2002.; Zigmond, A. S., & Snaith, R. P. The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 1983.

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