I can help with general information about depression screening tests and what they mean, but I don’t have access to real-time tool results in this turn. If you’d like, I can guide you through common screening options, how to interpret them, and what steps to take next. What is a depression test?
- A depression test is usually a brief questionnaire designed to screen for depressive symptoms and gauge their severity. It does not provide a medical diagnosis but helps indicate whether a professional evaluation may be needed.
Common types you might encounter
- PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9): A widely used 9-item questionnaire that assesses the frequency of depressive symptoms over the past two weeks. Each item is scored 0–3, with total scores ranging 0–27. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
- PHQ-2: A shorter initial screener using the first two items of the PHQ-9. If positive, clinicians often follow up with PHQ-9 or another assessment.
- MHA Depression Screening: Online tools that often incorporate PHQ-9 or similar items, providing a quick score and guidance on next steps.
- Other tools include the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Kessler scales (K10), and symptom-based checklists used in clinical settings.
How to interpret results (general guidance)
- Low scores typically suggest fewer depressive symptoms; however, even low scores can be important if there are functional impairments or distress.
- Moderate to severe scores often indicate a higher likelihood of clinically significant depression and warrant a formal evaluation by a healthcare professional.
- Most online screens emphasize that results are not a diagnosis and encourage seeking a professional assessment.
What to do if you’re concerned
- If you’re experiencing persistent low mood, hopelessness, or thoughts of self-harm, seek help promptly from a healthcare professional or a mental health specialist.
- If there is any immediate risk of harm, contact emergency services or a crisis line in your country right away.
- Consider discussing any test results with a primary care physician or a licensed mental health professional who can provide a full diagnostic evaluation and discuss treatment options if needed.
- You’re not alone: support is available, and effective treatments exist, including psychotherapy (like cognitive-behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy), medication when appropriate, and lifestyle strategies (sleep, exercise, social support).
If you’d like, tell me:
- Your country or region (to tailor crisis resources and care pathways),
- Whether you want a quick overview of a specific screening tool (e.g., PHQ-9) and how to interpret its items, or
- If you want steps to discuss screening results with a clinician.
I can provide a structured plan or walk you through a sample, non-clinical self-screening exercise for educational purposes.
