Cross-Cultural Psychometric Properties of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
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Cross-Cultural Psychometric Properties of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. / Vindbjerg, Erik; Makransky, Guido; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Carlsson, Jessica.
In: The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 64, No. 1, 2019, p. 39–46.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Cross-Cultural Psychometric Properties of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
AU - Vindbjerg, Erik
AU - Makransky, Guido
AU - Mortensen, Erik Lykke
AU - Carlsson, Jessica
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Objective: The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) is considered the gold standard measure of depression. The factor structure of the HDRS is generally unstable, but 4 to 8 items appear to form a general depression factor. As transcultural studies of the HDRS have received little attention, and as most of the studies have taken a data-driven approach with a tendency to yield fragmented results, it is not clear if an HDRS general depression factor can also be found in non-Western populations. This is an important issue in deciding on the appropriateness of the scale as a gold standard in transcultural psychiatry.Method: A systematic review was carried out to compare previously reported factor structures of the HDRS in non-Western cultures. Overlapping clusters across studies were identified and subsequently tested with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of responses from an independent sample.Results: Fourteen relevant studies were identified, 12 of which were obtained. A general depression factor was identified, consisting of the following symptoms: depressed mood, guilt, loss of interests, retardation, suicide, and psychological anxiety. The subsequent CFA analysis supported the fit of this model.Conclusions: This study indicates that a general depression cluster is manifest in responses to the HDRS across cultures. While psychometric properties of the full-length HDRS are still debated, the general depression cluster appears pertinent to the assessment of depression across cultures. We recommend that cross-cultural clinicians and researchers focus on the use of unidimensional depression scales, which are in agreement with this cluster.
AB - Objective: The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) is considered the gold standard measure of depression. The factor structure of the HDRS is generally unstable, but 4 to 8 items appear to form a general depression factor. As transcultural studies of the HDRS have received little attention, and as most of the studies have taken a data-driven approach with a tendency to yield fragmented results, it is not clear if an HDRS general depression factor can also be found in non-Western populations. This is an important issue in deciding on the appropriateness of the scale as a gold standard in transcultural psychiatry.Method: A systematic review was carried out to compare previously reported factor structures of the HDRS in non-Western cultures. Overlapping clusters across studies were identified and subsequently tested with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of responses from an independent sample.Results: Fourteen relevant studies were identified, 12 of which were obtained. A general depression factor was identified, consisting of the following symptoms: depressed mood, guilt, loss of interests, retardation, suicide, and psychological anxiety. The subsequent CFA analysis supported the fit of this model.Conclusions: This study indicates that a general depression cluster is manifest in responses to the HDRS across cultures. While psychometric properties of the full-length HDRS are still debated, the general depression cluster appears pertinent to the assessment of depression across cultures. We recommend that cross-cultural clinicians and researchers focus on the use of unidimensional depression scales, which are in agreement with this cluster.
KW - Faculty of Social Sciences
KW - factor structure
KW - depression
KW - Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
KW - cross-cultural
U2 - 10.1177/0706743718772516
DO - 10.1177/0706743718772516
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 29719964
VL - 64
SP - 39
EP - 46
JO - Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
JF - Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
SN - 0706-7437
IS - 1
ER -
ID: 196473107