Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
14-item screening for anxiety and depression in medical settings (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983)
Been feeling off but medical tests keep coming back normal? It could be anxiety or depression speaking. The HADS is specifically designed for hospital and medical settings — just 14 questions, takes about 3 minutes. It deliberately excludes somatic symptoms (like insomnia, fatigue) to avoid confusion with physical illness. Excellent reliability (anxiety alpha=0.83, depression alpha=0.82), validated in over 500 studies worldwide.
What Is the HADS?
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was developed by Zigmond and Snaith (1983) for screening anxiety and depression in medical settings.
Key Feature
HADS deliberately excludes somatic symptoms common in medical patients, making it suitable for hospital outpatients, chronic illness assessment, and primary care screening.
Scale Structure
14 items split into Anxiety (A, 7 items) and Depression (D, 7 items) subscales.
Psychometric Properties
- Anxiety: alpha = 0.83
- Depression: alpha = 0.82
- Test-retest: r = 0.70-0.85
- At cutoff >=8: sensitivity 70-90%, specificity 68-93%
Reference
Zigmond, A. S., & Snaith, R. P. (1983). Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 67(6), 361-370.Scoring Guide
HADS has two subscales: Anxiety (A, 7 items) and Depression (D, 7 items). Each item scored 0-3, subscale totals range 0-21. 6 reverse-scored items (4, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14). 0-7=Normal, 8-10=Borderline, 11-21=Abnormal.
Result Interpretation
After completing the 14 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
- Dimension breakdown — separate scores for each sub-scale
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed instantly on screen. No account, email, or login required.