The PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) is one of the most widely used questionnaires in the world for gauging the severity of depressive symptoms. Nine short questions, each about the past two weeks. This is the exact instrument that sits on the desk in many GP and therapy offices.
This test is not a diagnosis. But it gives you an honest snapshot and a language for what you are feeling right now. And it shows why a score only really makes sense once you watch it over time.
What this test measures: Severity of depressive symptoms over the past two weeks
Source: Kroenke, Spitzer & Williams (2001), J Gen Intern Med. Deutsche Validierung: Löwe et al. (2002).
How to read your result
The PHQ-9 adds your nine answers into a score from 0 to 27. The higher the number, the more pronounced your symptoms over the past two weeks. The established cut-offs are: 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, 15–19 moderately severe, 20–27 severe. From around 10 points, guidelines suggest discussing it with a professional.
Important: a high score is not a diagnosis, and a low score is not a guarantee. The PHQ-9 measures symptoms, not their cause. A bad stretch of sleep, an infection, or acute stress can push the score up without depression being behind it.
Why a single score says little
Mood fluctuates. Fill in the PHQ-9 on a hard day and you get a different number than two weeks later. That is exactly why the interesting information is not the single score but the direction: is it getting better, worse, or staying the same over the weeks? Does it climb when you sleep badly and drop when you move your body?
This is where a website self-test ends and a tool like InnerPulse begins. In the app you take the same PHQ-9 regularly, see the trend as a curve, and place it next to your influence factors – sleep, exercise, medication, people, weather. A number turns into a pattern.
Item 9: honest about safety
The last PHQ-9 question asks about thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself. If you answer it with anything more than "not at all", the test surfaces support resources right away. That is not an alarm, it is an offer: you do not have to sit with thoughts like these alone. Help is free, confidential, and available around the clock.
Completely anonymous
This test runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are not stored, not sent, and not analysed – there is no account, no tracking, no database in the background. Close the page and the test is gone. If you want to keep and compare your scores, you can do that in InnerPulse, where the data never leaves your device either. More on the private, offline tracking page.
The other tests
Depression and anxiety often travel together. If your PHQ-9 result gives you pause, the GAD-7 anxiety test rounds out the picture. For a quick overview in under a minute there is the PHQ-4 short check, and for general psychological distress the K10 test.
FAQ
Is the PHQ-9 a diagnosis?
No. The PHQ-9 is a self-assessment screening questionnaire. It can point to depressive symptoms, but only a doctor or therapist can make a diagnosis. Treat your result as a reason to talk, not as a label.
Are my answers stored?
No. The test runs entirely in your browser. There is no account, no tracking, and no transfer to a server. Close the page and your answers are gone.
How often should I take the test?
Once is enough for a snapshot. But the PHQ-9 only becomes meaningful over time – many people repeat it every one to two weeks. That is exactly what InnerPulse is built for.
What does a score above 10 mean?
From around 10 points, symptoms are considered at least moderate. In this range, guidelines suggest discussing things with a professional. It is a guide, not a hard line.
With data, not just a gut feeling
Want to track your questionnaires over time and compare results? Then download InnerPulse. Everything stays private, no data leaves your device, and you discover what lifts your mood or drags it down.
Get InnerPulse · $4.99 one-time