Measurement Properties of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale: an Australian Community Study of Aged Persons

Abstract

The measurement properties of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were examined in an Australian community study of aged persons in order to contribute to international validation of the measure. Confirmatory analysis of polychoric correlations was conducted using the generally weighted least squares method. The original four-factor solution proposed by Radloff was successfully replicated for Australians, showing similar underlying structures as for Americans, Canadians, and Japanese. Schmid-Leiman parameterization of the second order factor analysis showed that little information was lost in considering full-scale scores rather than the four subscales separately. The behavior of the CES-D in an Australian population aligns with existing North American research and thus confirms the exceptional functioning of the Well-Being scale in Japan. More work on the behavior of the CES-D in non-English speaking societies is needed to separate issues of wording and grammar from genuine cultural variations. The CES-D was confirmed as essentially unidimensional and robust to minor changes; therefore, it is recommended for use in cross-cultural studies of depression in elderly persons.