Psychometric Properties of the DASS-21 Among Latina/o College Students by the US-Mexico Border.

Abstract

Anxious-depression symptomatology is frequently encountered among Latina/o individuals. There is a dearth of studies that examine this mixed class of anxiety and depression symptomatology, especially among Latina/o college students by the US-Mexico border. A total of 505 participants from rural institutions of higher education completed the DASS21. Psychometric properties were measured by means of confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to determine gender differences in depression, anxiety and stress. Among women, 18% reported at least moderate levels of depressive symptoms, 33.1% reported at least moderate levels of anxiety symptoms, and 16.4% reported at least moderate levels of stress. In men, 15.9% reported at least moderate levels of depressive symptoms, 34.1% reported at least moderate levels of anxiety symptoms, and 12.9% reported at least moderate levels of stress. The EFA supported a one dimension factor (anxious/stress-depression) among this sample of Latina/o college students (Bartlett's test=4960.9; df=210; p≤0.01; Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin=0.95). The MANOVA found no significant gender differences in depression, anxiety symptomatology and stress [Wilks'Λ=0.99; F=(3, 500)=2.41; p=0.07]. The DASS-21 showed a one dimensional construct of anxious/stress-depression symptomatology in a Latina/o rural undergraduate sample, raising awareness to the need to screen and monitor this constellation of symptoms.