Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale among undergraduates and clinical patients

Lishui Niu; Jiayue He; Chang Cheng; Jinyao Yi; Xiang Wang; Shuqiao Yao

doi:10.1186/s12888-021-03474-x

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale among undergraduates and clinical patients

BMC Psychiatry. 2021 Sep 23;21(1):463. doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03474-x.

Authors

Lishui Niu^#^{1

2

3}, Jiayue He^#^{1

2

3}, Chang Cheng^{1

2

3}, Jinyao Yi^{1

2

3}, Xiang Wang^{4

5

6}, Shuqiao Yao^{7

8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
² Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
³ National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
⁴ Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China. Wang0916xia@gmail.com.
⁵ Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China. Wang0916xia@gmail.com.
⁶ National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China. Wang0916xia@gmail.com.
⁷ Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China. shuqiaoyao@csu.edu.cn.
⁸ Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China. shuqiaoyao@csu.edu.cn.
⁹ National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China. shuqiaoyao@csu.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CESD) was widely used for screening of depressive symptoms. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the factor structure and measurement invariance of the CESD across genders and groups in a sample of Chinese undergraduates and clinical patients.

Methods: Participants included 3093 undergraduates from the Hunan province and 336 patients from psychological clinics. The structure of the CESD scale was analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Multiple sets of CFAs were used to test measurement invariance across genders among undergraduates and clinical patients. Internal consistency reliability was also evaluated.

Results: The five-factor model achieved satisfactory fit (in the undergraduate sample: WLSMVχ² = 1662.385, df = 160, CFI = 0.973, TLI = 0.968, RMSEA = 0.055; in the clinical patients: WLSMVχ² = 502.089, df = 160, CFI = 0.962, TLI = 0.955, RMSEA = 0.072). The measurement invariance of the five-factor model across genders was supported fully assuming different degrees of invariance. The CESD also showed acceptable internal consistency.

Conclusion: Due to its sound structure and measurement invariance, the five-factor model of the CESD is best suited for testing in Chinese mainland college students and clinical patients.

Keywords: CESD; Depression; Factor structure; Measurement invariance.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China / epidemiology
Depression* / diagnosis
Depression* / epidemiology
Epidemiologic Studies
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Female
Humans
Male
Psychometrics
Reproducibility of Results
Students*