What does a GAD-2 score of 3 or higher mean?

A score of 3 or higher is the validated cut-point suggesting possible generalized anxiety disorder. It means further evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional is recommended — it does not confirm a diagnosis on its own.

Is the GAD-2 the same as the GAD-7?

No. The GAD-7 is a seven-item instrument; the GAD-2 consists of only the first two items. The GAD-2 is designed for rapid screening and has slightly lower sensitivity and specificity than the full GAD-7. A positive GAD-2 result is often followed up with the complete GAD-7.

How accurate is the GAD-2?

Research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Kroenke et al., 2007) found the GAD-2 has a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 83% for generalized anxiety disorder at a cut-point of 3. These figures are for population-level screening, not individual diagnosis.

Can I use this tool to diagnose myself?

No. The GAD-2 is a screening tool only. Only a licensed mental health or medical professional can diagnose generalized anxiety disorder based on a comprehensive clinical assessment. A high score indicates you should seek professional evaluation.

How often should I take this screener?

The GAD-2 is typically administered at clinical visits or at intervals of two weeks or more, since the questions ask about the past two weeks. Taking it more frequently than that is unlikely to yield meaningfully different scores.

Is my response data stored anywhere?

No. All scoring happens in your browser using JavaScript. Your answers are never sent to any server and are not stored beyond your current browser session.

GAD-2 Anxiety Screener

Answer two quick questions to calculate your GAD-2 score and see whether further evaluation for generalized anxiety disorder is recommended.

GAD-2 Questionnaire

Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?

1 Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge

0 — Not at all 1 — Several days 2 — More than half the days 3 — Nearly every day

2 Not being able to stop or control worrying

0 — Not at all 1 — Several days 2 — More than half the days 3 — Nearly every day

Answer both questions and click
Calculate Score to see your result.

Score Reference

0–2 Minimal anxiety — routine monitoring

3–4 Mild — further evaluation suggested

5 Moderate — evaluation recommended

6 Severe — prompt evaluation advised

Summary

The GAD-2 is a validated two-item screening instrument derived from the full GAD-7 questionnaire. It asks how often, over the past two weeks, a person has felt nervous or anxious, and how often they have been unable to stop or control worrying. Each item is scored 0–3, giving a total of 0–6. A score of 3 or higher is the recommended cut-point for identifying possible generalized anxiety disorder and prompting further clinical evaluation. This tool performs all scoring locally in your browser — no data is sent to any server.

How it works

Read each of the two questions carefully.
Select the response that best describes your experience over the past two weeks.
Click "Calculate Score" after answering both questions.
Your total GAD-2 score (0–6) is displayed with a color-coded interpretation.
A brief explanation explains what the score range means and what to do next.
The result includes an important disclaimer that this is a screening aid, not a diagnosis.

Use cases

Quick initial anxiety screening in primary care or telehealth intake.
Self-check to decide whether to seek a mental health evaluation.
Track changes in anxiety symptoms over multiple weeks.
Supplement a conversation with a therapist or physician.
Educational demonstration of validated clinical screening instruments.
Use as part of a broader wellness check alongside other validated tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-05-23 · Reviewed by Nham Vu