PHQ-9

Patient Health Questionnaire-9

De-identify everything. Never enter client names, dates of birth, record numbers, or other identifying information anywhere on Meridian.

Your privacy: Screening results are stored only on this device and are never sent to our servers. You can share results with your provider using a secure link.

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

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 or have let yourself or your family down
Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed — or the opposite, being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual
Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way

Meridian Mental Health

Clinical screening form

For clinical use — retain with the record

PHQ-9 — Patient Health Questionnaire-9

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

Client name

Date of birth

Date administered

Clinician

Meridian does not collect client-identifying information on screen — complete this section by hand.

#	Item	Not at all	Several days	More than half the days	Nearly every day
1	Little interest or pleasure in doing things	(0)	(1)	(2)	(3)
2	Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless	(0)	(1)	(2)	(3)
3	Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much	(0)	(1)	(2)	(3)
4	Feeling tired or having little energy	(0)	(1)	(2)	(3)
5	Poor appetite or overeating	(0)	(1)	(2)	(3)
6	Feeling bad about yourself — or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down	(0)	(1)	(2)	(3)
7	Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television	(0)	(1)	(2)	(3)
8	Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed — or the opposite, being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual	(0)	(1)	(2)	(3)
9	Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way *	(0)	(1)	(2)	(3)

* Safety-flagged item — see note below.

Functional impact

If you checked off any problems, how difficult have these made it to do your work, take care of things at home, or get along with other people?

Not difficult at allSomewhat difficultVery difficultExtremely difficult

* Safety-flagged item

A response above 0 on the marked item warrants a direct safety assessment (ideation, plan, intent, access to means) regardless of the total score. If risk is imminent, call or text 988, or call 911.

Total score / 27

Severity

(0/9 answered on screen — score by hand)

Severity key
Score	Severity	Guidance
0–4	Minimal	Minimal or no depressive symptoms. Monitor; no treatment typically indicated.
5–9	Mild	Mild symptoms. Watchful waiting; consider repeat screening and supportive counseling.
10–14	Moderate	Moderate symptoms. Consider a treatment plan: psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, or both.
15–19	Moderately severe	Moderately severe. Active treatment with pharmacotherapy and/or psychotherapy warranted.
20–27	Severe	Severe symptoms. Prompt initiation of treatment; consider expedited specialty referral.

Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001. Public domain.

This form is a scoring aid, not a diagnosis. A score alone never establishes or rules out a clinical diagnosis — interpret alongside clinical judgment. Printed Aug 20, 2026 from Meridian Mental Health.

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