Beyond Depression: Does the CES-D 8 Capture Subjective Well-Being?

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This study examines whether the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 8) measures depression as distinct from the subjective well-being (SWB) components emotional well-being (EWB) and life satisfaction (LS). Using data from the Swedish European Social Survey CRONOS-2 panel (N = 795), we employed confirmatory factor analysis for testing discriminant validity and examined associations with health, sociodemographic, and psychological correlates. Results showed strong correlations (r > .70) between the latent depression factor (CES-D 8) and both latent EWB and LS factors. The depression factor furthermore failed the Fornell-Larcker tests for discriminant validity against LS and EWB, and health measures showed similar associations with CES-D 8, EWB, and LS. Limited support is thus obtained for depression being a distinct construct. CES-D 8 may primarily capture EWB rather than depression, prompting reconsideration of how depression is conceptualized and measured in relation to SWB in both research and clinical practice.