What Is the PHQ-9? A Plain-Language Guide
The PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) is a simple, nine-question tool that doctors, therapists, and researchers use to screen for depression and track its severity over time. If you have ever been asked to fill one out at a clinic, or encountered it during a mental health assessment, this guide will help you understand exactly what it measures and what the results mean. For a deeper understanding of how these metrics combine with daily journaling, see our guide on mood tracking science.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. The PHQ-9 is a clinical screening tool, not a diagnostic test. Only a qualified healthcare professional can diagnose depression or interpret your score in the context of your full clinical picture.
What Does the PHQ-9 Measure?
The PHQ-9 measures nine of the core symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) as defined by the DSM-5. Over the past two weeks, it asks how often you have been bothered by:
- Little interest or pleasure in doing things
- Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
- Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
- Feeling tired or having little energy
- Poor appetite or overeating
- Feeling bad about yourself — or that you are a failure
- Trouble concentrating on things (reading, watching TV, work)
- Moving or speaking noticeably slowly — or being so fidgety you have been moving more than usual
- Thoughts of being better off dead, or of hurting yourself
Each question is scored on a scale of 0–3:
- 0 = Not at all
- 1 = Several days
- 2 = More than half the days
- 3 = Nearly every day
Maximum score: 27
How Are PHQ-9 Scores Interpreted?
| Score | Severity | Suggested Action | |-------|----------|-----------------| | 0–4 | None–Minimal | Monitor; may not require treatment | | 5–9 | Mild | Watchful waiting, repeat PHQ-9 at follow-up | | 10–14 | Moderate | Make a treatment plan; consider counseling | | 15–19 | Moderately Severe | Active treatment (therapy and/or medication) | | 20–27 | Severe | Immediate treatment; pharmacotherapy recommended |
What Does My PHQ-9 Score Mean for Me?
A PHQ-9 score is a starting point, not an answer. A high score does not mean you have clinical depression — many factors affect how you answer on a given day, including sleep, recent stressors, and physical illness.
A low score does not mean you are fine, either. Some people minimize their symptoms or interpret the questions differently.
What the score does is give your healthcare provider a useful, validated signal to guide a conversation. Think of it as a first translation of your subjective experience into a language that clinical systems can work with.
How AI Journaling Relates to the PHQ-9
Rohy AI does not administer the PHQ-9 as a formal clinical assessment. Instead, our analysis engine identifies linguistic markers associated with the PHQ-9 criteria by mapping your journal entries across 19 validated psychological models such as Trait EI, Self-Esteem, and Locus of Control.
This allows the platform to track themes like changes in energy, sleep references, and mood patterns as they naturally appear in your writing — not just when you answer a questionnaire. Over time, your AI-generated mental health snapshot reflects PHQ-9 symptoms in a richer, more contextualized form.
Sources
- Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2001;16(9):606-613. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x
- Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB. Validation and utility of a self-report version of PRIME-MD: the PHQ impairment study. JAMA. 1999;282(18):1737-1744.
- American Psychological Association. APA PsycTests: Patient Health Questionnaire-9. APA PsycNet. 2024. apa.org
- Manea L, Gilbody S, McMillan D. Optimal cut-off score for diagnosing depression with the PHQ-9: a meta-analysis. CMAJ. 2012;184(3):E191-E196.
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