A PHQ-2 score of 3 or higher is a positive screen, so a fuller check for depression is worth doing. A score of 0 to 2 is below the usual cutoff. The PHQ-2 asks only two questions, about low mood and loss of interest or pleasure over the past two weeks.
What is the PHQ-2 cutoff?
The PHQ-2 has a single cutoff at 3. Your total from 0 to 6 falls on one side of it:
| Score | Screen result | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | Below cutoff | The screen is negative, but two questions cannot rule depression out. |
| 3-6 | Positive screen | A broader assessment or clinical interview can clarify the result. |
There are no separate mild or severe bands. Scores of 3 and 6 are both positive screens, and the total cannot show whether treatment is needed.
What does a score of 3 or more mean?
A score of 3 or more reaches the cutoff that the original PHQ-2 study found worked best for screening. In that study, 580 primary care and obstetrics-gynecology patients also saw a mental health professional for an interview.
At a cutoff of 3, the PHQ-2 picked up 82.9% of the people whose interview found major depression. It also gave a below-cutoff result to 90.0% of those without major depression.
Even so, only 38.4% of the people who screened positive had major depression. A positive result shows who needs a closer look. It is not a diagnosis. How often a positive result reflects depression can also differ between settings and groups of people.
What if my score is below 3?
Low mood and loss of interest are two central symptoms of depression. The PHQ-2 skips most of the others, so a low score can miss depression that shows up in other ways. The PHQ-2 also does not ask how you are coping day to day or what might be causing your symptoms.
The PHQ-2 does not screen for anxiety either. If both anxiety and low mood concern you, the PHQ-4 score guide explains a short screen that covers both.
Grief, stress, physical illness, medicines, alcohol or drug use, and other mental health conditions can cause similar symptoms. Your score cannot tell you which explanation fits.
If you are thinking about suicide or self-harm
The PHQ-2 does not ask about suicide or self-harm. Get immediate help if you may act on these thoughts or cannot keep yourself safe. Do not wait for a higher score. Treat any other life-threatening emergency with the same urgency.
If you need help now. In the US, Call 988 or text 988. Call 911 if you are in immediate danger. Outside the US, contact your local emergency number or find support in your country.
What should I do next?
If your score is 3 or more, one option for a fuller check is the PHQ-9. It asks the same two questions and covers seven more symptoms. The PHQ-9 is still a screening tool, and neither questionnaire can choose a treatment on its own.
Whatever your score, talk to a doctor if low mood or loss of interest keeps going or comes back often. Do the same if work, relationships, sleep or looking after yourself gets harder. A low score does not outweigh those signs or a worry about your safety.
Bring your score to the appointment. A doctor or therapist will ask about other symptoms, daily life, your health and any other conditions. They will also ask about medicines, alcohol or drug use, recent events and any past episodes.