Luther

Depression Test (PHQ-8)

8 questions for assessing depressive symptoms without evaluating suicidal risk. Time frame: the past 2 weeks.

8 questions · about 2 minutes · free, no sign-up

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

1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things

Not at all Several days More than half the days Nearly every day

2. Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless

Not at all Several days More than half the days Nearly every day

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

Not at all Several days More than half the days Nearly every day

4. Feeling tired or having little energy

Not at all Several days More than half the days Nearly every day

5. Poor appetite or overeating

Not at all Several days More than half the days Nearly every day

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

Not at all Several days More than half the days Nearly every day

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

Not at all Several days More than half the days Nearly every day

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

Not at all Several days More than half the days Nearly every day

See my result

How the score is read

Add up your answers: the total runs from 0 to 24.

Score	Level
0–4	Minimal symptoms
5–9	Mild symptoms
10–14	Moderate symptoms
15–19	Pronounced symptoms
20–24	Severe symptoms

About this questionnaire

Source: Spitzer, Kroenke & Williams. Released into the public domain by Pfizer; no permission required to use, translate or display. Read the original publication →

Who developed it

The PHQ-8 is the PHQ-9 without its ninth item. The PHQ-9 was published by Robert L. Spitzer, Kurt Kroenke and Janet B. W. Williams in 2001 as the depression module of the Patient Health Questionnaire, with the nine questions matching the nine diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode. The eight-item version was described by Kroenke and colleagues in 2009 in the Journal of Affective Disorders, after it had been used in a telephone survey of 198,678 adults in the United States: the question about thoughts of death or self-harm cannot be followed up in a survey or on a web page, so it was left out. Both versions are in the public domain.

How it is used

The total is the sum of the eight answers, from 0 to 24. The cut-offs of 5, 10, 15 and 20 mark mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe symptoms, the same as on the PHQ-9, and a score of 10 or more is the standard threshold for current depression in research and population surveys. Because the missing ninth item adds little to the total for most people, PHQ-8 and PHQ-9 scores are treated as equivalent. Clinicians use the scale to screen, to decide how urgently to look closer and to track change over weeks of treatment; a drop of 5 points or more is usually read as a real improvement.

What it does not measure

A score is not a diagnosis. Grief, burnout, an underactive thyroid, anaemia, chronic pain, poor sleep and some medicines all produce the same tiredness, low energy and loss of interest that the questions ask about, and the questionnaire cannot tell them apart. It does not ask about suicidal thoughts, so it says nothing about safety, and it does not pick up the high phases of bipolar disorder. It covers the last two weeks only, and a hard fortnight can raise the score without an illness behind it.

What to do with your result

Under 5 is where most people are most of the time. Between 5 and 9, notice what has changed lately, be kinder to your sleep and your days, and take the questionnaire again in two weeks. From 10 upwards, or whenever low mood has lasted more than two weeks and is affecting work, relationships or looking after yourself, talk to a doctor: depression responds well to treatment, and this score is exactly what they would ask for. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, the questionnaire is not the tool; please contact a crisis line or emergency services now.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the PHQ-8 and the PHQ-9?

One question. The PHQ-9 ends with an item about thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself; the PHQ-8 leaves it out and is scored from 0 to 24 instead of 0 to 27. The cut-offs are the same, and the two totals are treated as equivalent. The eight-item version is used where nobody can respond to that answer straight away, in surveys and on pages like this one.

What does a PHQ-8 score of 10 or more mean?

Ten is the threshold for moderate symptoms and the standard cut-off for current depression in research. It means the symptoms have been present on many days of the last two weeks and are worth discussing with a doctor or mental-health professional. It is not a diagnosis by itself: a professional would ask how long this has been going on and rule out other causes.

Can the PHQ-8 diagnose depression?

No. It measures how often depressive symptoms have been present over the last two weeks. A diagnosis needs a conversation with a professional who can ask about duration, causes, physical health and what else is happening in your life. A high score is a reason to have that conversation.

How often should I retake the PHQ-8?

Every two weeks is the natural rhythm, because every question covers the last two weeks. Over a course of treatment, clinicians repeat it every few weeks and look for a fall of 5 points or more as a sign of real improvement.

Other questionnaires

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Luther is an AI companion for everyday support. It is not therapy, not medical care and not a diagnosis. If you are thinking about harming yourself, please do not wait: call your local emergency number, or find a helpline for your country at findahelpline.com.