GAD-7
Pronunciation: jee-ay-dee-seven
Also written as: GAD-7 — Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale
A validated seven-item self-report screening tool used to measure the severity of generalized anxiety disorder symptoms.
Full Definition
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) is a widely used, psychometrically validated instrument developed by Spitzer et al. (2006). It yields a total score from 0 to 21, with established cut-points for mild (5–9), moderate (10–14), and severe (15–21) anxiety. In clinical documentation, the tool name should always appear as 'GAD-7' with a hyphen and numeral, never as 'GAD7' or 'GAD-7 Scale' (the word 'scale' being redundant). Editors should verify that score ranges are accurately reproduced when cited in reports.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenated with numeral: 'GAD-7.' The word 'scale' after 'GAD-7' is redundant and should be removed in edited documents unless house style requires it.
In Context
- "The intake clinician administered the GAD-7 at the initial session and documented a total score of 14, indicating moderate anxiety." — Intake assessment
- "Editors should format the instrument name as 'GAD-7,' not 'GAD7' or 'GAD 7,' across all clinical documents." — Style convention note