The Factor Structure, Predictors, and Percentile Norms of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale in the Dutch-speaking Adult Population of Belgium.

Qian Wu,Annette Brose,Peter Kuppens,Yasemin Erbaş ,Rianne Janssen

doi:10.5334/pb.261

Abstract

The Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a commonly used self-report scale to measure depressive symptoms in the general population. In the present study, the Dutch version of the CES-D was administered to a sample of 837 Dutch-speaking adults of Belgium to examine the factor structure of the scale. Using confirmatory factory analysis (CFA), four first-order models and two second-order models were tested, and the second-order factor model with three pairs of correlated error terms provided the best fit to the data. Second, five socio-demographic variables (age, gender, education level, relation status, and family history of depression) were included as covariates to the second-order factor model to explore the associations between background characteristics and the latent factor depression using a multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC) approach. Age had a significantly negative effect on depression, but the effect was not substantial. Female gender, lower education level, being single or widowed, and having a family history of depression were found to be significant predictors of higher levels of depression symptomatology. Finally, percentile norms on the CES-D raw scores were provided for subgroups of gender by education level for the general Dutch-speaking adult population of Belgium.

Highlights

Depression is one of the leading causes of Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical disability, affecting a large number of peo- Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-5, 2013) ple all over the world (WHO, 2012)
Using principal component analysis (PCA), Radloff (1977; 1991) identified that four factors could be extracted from the intercorrelations among the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) items, which were Depressed Affect, Positive Affect, Somatic Symptoms, and Interpersonal Relations
The first objective of the current study is to examine the factor structure of the CES-D in a sample of Dutch-speaking Belgian adults

Summary

Introduction

Depression is one of the leading causes of Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical disability, affecting a large number of peo- Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-5, 2013) ple all over the world (WHO, 2012). Dutch-speaking Adult Population of Belgium mental disorder characterized by symptoms of depressed mood, loss of interests or pleasure, appetite change, sleep disturbance, psychomotor changes, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and recurrent suicidal thoughts. Using principal component analysis (PCA), Radloff (1977; 1991) identified that four factors could be extracted from the intercorrelations among the CES-D items, which were Depressed Affect, (absence of) Positive Affect, Somatic Symptoms, and Interpersonal Relations. This four-factor structure has been generally supported and replicated in subsequent studies, and further substantiated by meta-analytic evidence on the basis of 28 studies (Schafer, 2006). All those factor models were found plausible and provided satisfactory model fit to the data in the respective studies

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Results