GAD-7 scoring: score ranges, cutoffs, and examples
How do you calculate a GAD-7 score?
Check that all seven scored items are answered, add their values, and compare the total with the table below. Do not add a separate functional-difficulty response to the sum.
Worked example: a fictional student’s responses are scored 2, 1, 2, 1, 0, 1, and 2. Adding them gives 9. This falls within the mild band. This example shows the arithmetic only; it does not demonstrate whether that student needs care.
What are the GAD-7 score ranges?
The standard bands are shown below. The label describes the questionnaire result, rather than the person or their ability to cope. A band does not specify a treatment plan.
| Total | Symptom severity band |
|---|---|
| 0–4 | Minimal |
| 5–9 | Mild |
| 10–14 | Moderate |
| 15–21 | Severe |
What does the cutoff of 10 mean?
A total of 10 or higher is a commonly used threshold for further assessment of possible generalized anxiety disorder. A screening threshold is a decision aid, not a dividing line between people who deserve help and people who do not.
There can be false positives, where a result is above the threshold without the target diagnosis, and false negatives, where a condition is present despite a result below it. Read the evidence page for how screening accuracy varies across studies and settings.
How should I interpret a score near a boundary?
A score of 9 and a score of 10 receive different labels, but a one-point difference is not proof of a sudden change in health. The same applies to 4 versus 5, or 14 versus 15. Discuss the actual difficulties alongside the number.
For a fictional example, one student with a score of 9 may describe an urgent problem attending classes, while another with the same score may be asking a different question about their wellbeing. Equal totals do not mean equal circumstances. The next step should take those circumstances into account.
Is my GAD-7 score a percentage or a percentile?
The usual result is a raw total. A score of 12 does not mean you are “12 percent anxious,” and dividing by 21 does not calculate the probability of a disorder.
A percentile compares a result with a specified reference group. It depends on who is in that group, their ages, language, setting, and when the data were collected. This site does not assign student percentiles or convert scores into a probability of passing an exam.
What if the total looks wrong?
Recheck the number of scored answers and the value given to each. A complete standard total must be a whole number between 0 and 21. If an online result falls outside that range, do not interpret it using this table.
If different sites give different explanations for the same number, check whether they use the same instrument, response choices, and scoring method. Save the instructions or result page to discuss with a professional rather than trying to average conflicting labels.
This page is educational. A questionnaire score cannot establish a diagnosis or explain the cause of your symptoms. If you are struggling, speak with a counselor or healthcare professional, whatever your score.
Read how to ask for support or find a helpline in your country.