PHQ-2
Patient Health Questionnaire-2
A two-item first-step depression screen.
2
1 min
adult
0–6
About the PHQ-2
The Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) comprises the first two items of the PHQ-9 — depressed mood and anhedonia — and serves as an ultra-brief first-step screen for depression. It is designed to be highly sensitive: a positive PHQ-2 should be followed by the full PHQ-9 or a clinical interview rather than treated as a diagnosis.
Respondents rate how often each of the two cardinal depressive symptoms has bothered them over the past two weeks, giving a total score from 0 to 6. A score of 3 or more is the standard cut-point for a positive screen.
What it measures
- Little interest or pleasure in doing things (anhedonia)
- Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless (depressed mood)
PHQ-2 questions
- 1
Little interest or pleasure in doing things
- 2
Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
Items reproduced from a documented, freely usable source. Item wording is preserved exactly as published.
Scoring & interpretation
| Range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | Negative screen | Below cutoff for further evaluation. |
| 3–6 | Positive screen | Score ≥3 — administer a full PHQ-9 or further depression assessment. |
Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Clinical applications
- Rapid first-step depression screening in busy primary-care and intake workflows
- A "trigger" question set that gates administration of the longer PHQ-9
- Embedding within broader health checks where time is limited
Validation & psychometrics
At a cut-point of 3, the PHQ-2 has been reported to have a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 92% for major depression (Kroenke, Spitzer & Williams, 2003), making it an efficient initial filter.
Frequently asked questions
What does a positive PHQ-2 mean?
A score of 3 or higher is a positive screen and indicates the full PHQ-9 or a clinical assessment should follow. It is not a diagnosis on its own.
Is the PHQ-2 the same as the PHQ-9?
The PHQ-2 is the first two items of the PHQ-9. It screens; the PHQ-9 measures severity and maps to the full set of depression criteria.
Source & references
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