Which mental health assessment should I take?

You want to check in on your mental health. You search online and find dozens of questionnaires with acronyms like PHQ-9, GAD-7, DASS-21, PCL-5. Some have 4 questions, some have 21. Some measure depression, some measure anxiety, some measure both.

How do you know which one to take?

Start with what you're feeling

Mental health assessments aren't one-size-fits-all. They're designed to measure specific things. The right one depends on what you're experiencing.

Here's a quick guide:

If you're not sure, start with the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. They're short (9 and 7 questions), widely validated, and cover the two most common mental health concerns. Together they take about 5 minutes.

Brief screens vs. full assessments

Some assessments come in short and long versions. The short ones are quick checks. The longer ones give more detail.

Ultra-brief screens (2-4 questions):
- PHQ-2: 2 questions about depression
- GAD-2: 2 questions about anxiety
- PHQ-4: Combines PHQ-2 and GAD-2

These are useful for quick check-ins or when you want a fast answer to "should I dig deeper?" If you score above the threshold, follow up with the full version.

Standard assessments (7-21 questions):
- PHQ-9: Full depression screen
- GAD-7: Full anxiety screen
- DASS-21: Depression, anxiety, and stress combined

These give you more nuanced results and are what most clinicians use.

What if symptoms overlap?

Depression and anxiety frequently occur together. If you're not sure which you're dealing with, the DASS-21 measures both (plus stress) in one assessment.

The DASS-21 breaks your results into three separate scores, so you can see which symptoms are more prominent. Many people find one clearly higher than the others. Some find all three elevated. That's useful information too.

Assessments for specific situations

Some life circumstances have their own assessments:

Postpartum:
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is designed specifically for new mothers. It accounts for symptoms that might be different during the postpartum period and excludes physical symptoms (like fatigue) that could be normal after childbirth.

Older adults:
The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) uses yes/no questions instead of frequency scales and focuses on symptoms more common in older populations.

Trauma and PTSD:
If you've experienced a traumatic event and are having flashbacks, nightmares, or avoidance behaviors, the PCL-5 is the standard tool. For a quick screen, try the PC-PTSD-5 first.

Alcohol concerns:
The CAGE questionnaire is just 4 questions and takes 30 seconds. If you're concerned about your relationship with alcohol, it's a good starting point.

How to use your results

These assessments give you a score and a severity level (minimal, mild, moderate, severe). Here's what to do with that information:

Minimal/mild: No immediate action needed, but worth monitoring. Consider retaking in a few weeks to see if anything changes.

Moderate: Worth discussing with a doctor or therapist. This is the range where treatment (therapy, medication, lifestyle changes) often helps.

Severe: Talk to a healthcare provider soon. Effective treatments exist, and you don't need to feel this way.

Any mention of self-harm: If an assessment asks about thoughts of suicide or self-harm and you answer yes, please tell someone. Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or talk to a provider directly.

One assessment isn't enough

A single score tells you how you're doing right now. It doesn't tell you whether things are getting better or worse.

The real value comes from tracking over time:
- Take the same assessment periodically (weekly or monthly)
- Watch for trends, not single scores
- A 5-point change on most assessments is clinically meaningful

This is especially useful if you're trying something new (therapy, medication, exercise, sleep changes). Your scores can show whether it's working before you consciously notice.

What these assessments don't do

Worth remembering:

- They do not diagnose you. A high score suggests you should talk to someone. It's not a diagnosis.
- They do not explain why you feel this way. The cause could be situational, biological, medical, or all three.
- They do not replace professional evaluation. If you're struggling, these tools are a starting point, not a destination.

If you're still not sure

Take the PHQ-4. It's 4 questions and covers both depression and anxiety. If your score suggests either might be an issue, you can follow up with the full PHQ-9 or GAD-7.

Or just pick one and start. The assessments are free, take a few minutes, and you can always take a different one later. The point isn't to find the perfect test. It's to get useful information about how you're doing.

Quick reference

The bottom line

Don't overthink which assessment to take. If you're feeling down, try the PHQ-9. If you're feeling anxious, try the GAD-7. If you're not sure, try the DASS-21 or PHQ-4.

What matters is that you're paying attention to your mental health. The specific questionnaire matters less than the act of checking in.