Generalised Anxiety Disorder – 7

What it measures

A brief, freely available DSM-aligned measure of generalised anxiety severity. Validated across clinical and population samples. Also sensitive for panic disorder, social anxiety, and PTSD at higher cut-off scores.

Response format

4-point frequency (0=not at all to 3=nearly every day); total 0–21

Representative items

• Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge
• Not being able to stop or control worrying
• Worrying too much about different things
• Trouble relaxing
• Being so restless that it is hard to sit still

Usage notes & scoring

Freely available. Cut-offs: >=5 mild, >=10 moderate, >=15 severe. Routinely paired with PHQ-9 as a standard battery. Used in IAPT (UK) and similar services worldwide.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Spitzer, R.L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J.B.W., & Löwe, B. (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(10), 1092–1097.

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