General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12)
12-item screener for general psychological distress
The GHQ-12 screens for psychological distress in about 3 minutes. Twelve questions measure how your daily functioning has shifted over the past few weeks. Not a diagnosis, but a useful signal.
What Is the GHQ-12?
The General Health Questionnaire was developed by British psychiatrist David Goldberg in the 1970s. Unlike scales that ask "what symptoms do you have," GHQ asks a subtler question: relative to your usual self, has anything changed lately?
It sounds simple but it's clever. Everyone's baseline is different — some people are normally anxious, others are normally low. GHQ measures deviation from your personal baseline, not from a population norm.
The 12-item version (GHQ-12) is the most widely used form today. It appears in major WHO surveys across dozens of countries, so there's solid cross-cultural data backing it.
What It Measures
The GHQ-12 covers four areas: anxiety/depression symptoms, social dysfunction, loss of confidence, and reduced enjoyment of daily activities. But it doesn't break these out as subscales — the total score reflects overall psychological distress.
Scoring
Two methods:
- GHQ (binary) scoring (0-0-1-1): Range 0-12. Cutoff ≥ 3 is common for screening in clinical research.
- Likert scoring (1-2-3-4): Range 12-48. More granular for tracking changes over time.
A Note
The GHQ-12 is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. A high score says "you might want to check in with someone" — not "you have a disorder." Only a clinical interview can make that call.
If things have been rough lately, don't sit on it alone. Talk to someone you trust. The number matters less than knowing when to reach out.
Scoring Guide
Total range 12-48. 12-22=Low distress, 23-28=Moderate distress, 29-36=Elevated distress, 37-48=High distress. GHQ binary scoring (0-12): cutoff ≥ 3. 6 reverse-scored items (1,3,4,7,8,12).Result Interpretation
After completing the 12 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.