Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item
The GAD-7 is a brief self-report screen of anxiety symptom frequency over the past two weeks. This page explains the measure for clinics. It is not a test to complete here.
Overview
What is the GAD-7?
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale was developed by Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams and colleagues as a short self-report measure of anxiety symptom burden. Clinics use it for intake, review, and monitoring. It does not by itself establish an anxiety disorder diagnosis.
Development and clinical use
GAD-7 was introduced in the mid-2000s with a Pfizer educational grant and later became one of the most widely used brief anxiety measures in primary care and specialist services.
- Source instrument
- 7 self-report items
- Reference period
- Past 2 weeks
- Response format
- 4 frequency options
- Respondent
- Patient self-report
- Typical use
- Screening and monitoring
- Clinical role
- Screening support
Administration
A focused client experience
Respondents rate how often seven problems have bothered them over the past two weeks. Results are intended to support a clinician conversation about symptom burden, duration, impairment, and whether a fuller anxiety assessment is needed.
- One question at a time with visible progress
- Large keyboard-operable response choices
- Previous, next, and answer-review steps
- Clear confirmation that results go to the clinic
Frequency choices are shown without reproducing GAD-7 item wording.
Report showcase
Designed to make evidence easy to review
The downloadable synthetic example illustrates report layout using invented response patterns, without patient data or instrument questions.
- Named instrument, version, and provenance
- Item-level response pattern without source wording
- Methodology, references, and clinical boundary
- Responsible clinician review rather than automated conclusions
Clinician review required
Methodology
Understand the measure and its scoring conventions
Published source materials describe a 0-21 total and suggested screening bands. This public page does not independently verify scoring, cutoffs, or a production scoring rule. Use the official form and scoring instructions for the version you intend to use.
References
- Original GAD-7 validationSpitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JBW, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092-1097.
- Official source formsPfizer Inc. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) screeners.
Questions
What clinics ask before they evaluate the GAD-7
These answers stay inside educational catalogue scope. They do not replace official manuals or clinician judgement.
What is the GAD-7 used for?
Clinics use it as a short anxiety symptom screen and a way to track change. It structures how often the person has been bothered by named problems, then a clinician reviews the result in context.
Does a GAD-7 score diagnose anxiety?
No. It is a screening and severity measure. Diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment decisions remain with the responsible clinician.
Can I complete GAD-7 on this page?
No. This is educational catalogue information and a product illustration. Lirena does not provide a public self-test or automated interpretation here.
Which GAD-7 form should a clinic use?
Confirm you are using the official form and that it fits your population and governance.