GAD-7 Anxiety Screening

Administer and score the validated GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale) to measure anxiety severity at intake and follow-up appointments. Tracks symptom frequency over the past two weeks and supports clinical scoring to guide treatment decisions.

Instructions

• Assessment Period
  Select the visit type for this administration of the GAD-7.
• Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems? Please read each item carefully before selecting your response.
  Response options for all items below: 0 = Not at all | 1 = Several days | 2 = More than half the days | 3 = Nearly every day. This instruction is displayed to the respondent before the symptom items.

GAD-7 Symptom Items (Past 2 Weeks)

• 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
• 3. Worrying too much about different things
  0 = Not at all | 1 = Several days | 2 = More than half the days | 3 = Nearly every day
• 4. Trouble relaxing
  0 = Not at all | 1 = Several days | 2 = More than half the days | 3 = Nearly every day
• 5. Being so restless that it is hard to sit still
  0 = Not at all | 1 = Several days | 2 = More than half the days | 3 = Nearly every day
• 6. Becoming easily annoyed or irritable
  0 = Not at all | 1 = Several days | 2 = More than half the days | 3 = Nearly every day
• 7. Feeling afraid, as if something awful might happen
  0 = Not at all | 1 = Several days | 2 = More than half the days | 3 = Nearly every day

Functional Impairment

• If you checked off any problems, how difficult have these made it for you to do your work, take care of things at home, or get along with other people?
  Options: Not difficult at all | Somewhat difficult | Very difficult | Extremely difficult. This item is part of the standard GAD-7 administration and assesses functional impact but is not included in the 0–21 total score.

Scoring & Clinical Interpretation

• GAD-7 Total Score (0–21) — Clinician Calculated
  Sum of items 1–7. Severity bands: 0–4 = Minimal anxiety | 5–9 = Mild anxiety | 10–14 = Moderate anxiety | 15–21 = Severe anxiety. Scores ≥10 warrant further evaluation (Spitzer et al., 2006, Archives of Internal Medicine).
• Severity Band
  Select the severity classification based on the total score above.
• Change from Previous Score (if follow-up visit)
  Enter the difference from the prior GAD-7 total score (positive = worsening; negative = improvement). A change of ≥5 points is considered a clinically meaningful difference.

Clinical Notes & Follow-Up

• Clinician Observations and Context
  Document any relevant clinical context, patient-reported triggers, comorbid conditions, or behavioral observations that may affect score interpretation.
• Recommended Next Steps
  Document clinical recommendations based on score (e.g., watchful waiting, psychoeducation, CBT referral, medication evaluation, crisis protocol). For scores ≥15, document safety assessment and escalation plan.
• Is there anything else you would like to share about how you have been feeling?
  Open-ended space for the respondent to provide additional context not captured by the structured items.