What does my HAM-D 17 total score mean?

Scores of 0–7 indicate no clinically significant depression, 8–13 mild depression, 14–18 moderate depression, 19–22 severe depression, and 23 or above very severe depression. These cut-offs are widely used in research and clinical practice.

Who administers the HAM-D?

The HAM-D is designed as a clinician-administered scale — a trained clinician conducts a structured interview and then rates each item based on the patient's responses and observed behavior. It is not a self-report questionnaire like the PHQ-9.

How many items are in the HAM-D 17?

The standard version has 17 items. Max Fink and others introduced later 21-item and 24-item versions with additional items on diurnal variation, depersonalization, paranoid symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive features, but the 17-item version remains the most widely cited.

What score indicates remission?

A score of 7 or below is commonly used as the remission threshold in clinical trials. Some studies use a stricter cut-off of ≤ 6.

How is this different from the PHQ-9?

The PHQ-9 is a 9-item patient self-report tool covering DSM depressive criteria; each item scores 0–3 for a maximum of 27. The HAM-D 17 is a clinician-rated instrument with 17 items (maximum 52) that also covers somatic and anxiety symptoms not included in the PHQ-9.

Is my data stored or transmitted?

No. All scoring logic runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No responses are ever sent to any server.

Who developed the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression?

Max Hamilton published the scale in 1960 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. It has since become one of the most frequently used outcome measures in depression research worldwide.

Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D 17)

Rate each of the 17 HAM-D items and get an instant total score with severity classification used in clinical practice.

Rate each item based on the patient's responses during the clinical interview and observed behavior. Select the anchor that best describes the patient's condition over the past week.

Rate all 17 items and press Calculate Score to see the result.

Summary

The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D or HDRS) is a widely used clinician-administered instrument for measuring the severity of depression. The standard 17-item version (HAM-D 17) covers mood, guilt, suicide, sleep, psychomotor changes, anxiety, somatic symptoms, and insight. Items are scored 0–2 or 0–4 depending on the item; total scores range from 0 to 52. This tool implements the complete HAM-D 17 with per-item descriptors so clinicians can score accurately at the point of care. All calculations occur in your browser — no data leaves your device.

How it works

Rate each of the 17 items using the anchored response options shown for that item.
Item scores vary: items rated 0–4 use five anchor points; items rated 0–2 use three.
The total score (0–52) updates automatically as you select each rating.
Scores map to five severity bands: normal (0–7), mild (8–13), moderate (14–18), severe (19–22), and very severe (23+).
Review the per-item breakdown and clinical guidance shown alongside your total.
Print or screenshot the results to bring to a clinical appointment or documentation.

Use cases

Clinicians scoring inpatient or outpatient depression severity before and after treatment.
Psychiatric research requiring a validated, standardized depression measure.
Monitoring treatment response across serial assessments during a clinical trial.
Baseline and endpoint ratings for antidepressant medication studies.
Training clinicians to apply HAM-D anchor points consistently.
Documenting depression severity for insurance or disability assessments.
Comparing HAM-D scores with PHQ-9 or other instruments in a multi-measure battery.
Telehealth consultations where a clinician walks a patient through the scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-18 · Reviewed by Nham Vu

Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D 17)

Use the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D 17)

Summary

How it works

Use cases

Frequently Asked Questions