Depressive Cognition Scale Research Articles

Cross-Cultural Equivalence and Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version of the Depressive Cognition Scale

Cross-Cultural Equivalence and Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version of the Depressive Cognition Scale

Psychometric Testing of the Depressive Cognition Scale in Women With Type 2 Diabetes

Depression is prevalent in young and middle-aged diabetic women. Although cognitive depressive symptoms precede the development of depression, there is no screening instrument to measure these symptoms in diabetic patients. This study tested the psychometric properties of the Depressive Cognition Scale (DCS) in a convenience sample of 83 women with Type 2 diabetes. Alpha coefficient for the 8-item scale was .85, and the average inter-item correlation coefficient was .42. Construct validity was supported by correlations in the expected directions between the DCS and measures of learned resourcefulness, depressive symptoms, and health practices. Factor analysis presented a single dimension of 8 items. These findings suggest that the DSC will be useful in identifying patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes who are at risk for the development of clinical depression.

The Depressive Cognition Scale: Further Psychometric Evaluation

Depressive cognitions often precede the development of affective and behavioral symptoms of depression. Cognitive factors have been shown to influence the development of depression in older adults and thus identification of depressive cognitions is important for prevention of clinical depression and early intervention. The Depressive Cognition Scale (DCS) assesses cognitions that may precipitate clinical depression, and it has been found to be internally consistent and to demonstrate construct validity with measures of psychosocial development. This psychometric investigation was designed to further examine the construct validity of the DCS through comparison with measures of hypothetically related constructs. An alpha of .78 indicated acceptable internal consistency. Construct validity was demonstrated by significant correlations with measures of depression, resourcefulness, adaptive functioning, and life satisfaction. The study, conducted with 160 healthy elders, provides additional support for the reliability and validity of the DCS and yields promising evidence of its usefulness with elderly persons.