TY - JOUR
T1 - Cross-cultural equivalence of the Beck Depression Inventory
T2 - A five-country analysis from the ODIN study
AU - Nuevo, Roberto
AU - Dunn, Graham
AU - Dowrick, Christopher
AU - Luis Vazquez-Barquero, Jose
AU - Casey, Patricia
AU - Dalgard, Odd Stefen
AU - Lehtinen, Ville
AU - Luis Ayuso-Mateos, Jose
PY - 2009/4
Y1 - 2009/4
N2 - Background: The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) has demonstrated excellent psychometric properties and good performance as a screening measure in different contexts and languages. However, comparison of its structure across countries and languages remains understudied. Measurement invariance is a prerequisite for considering the BDI equivalent across versions, and for using it to make valid and interpretable comparisons of the severity of depression among different groups.Methods: As part of a five-country (UK, Ireland, Spain, Norway, and Finland), two-stage epidemiological study of depressive disorder, 7934 persons were screened using the BDI. The item equivalence and measurement invariance of the BDI across the samples of the five countries was tested using Item Response Theory (IRT) and Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) models.Results: Overall results support the factorial validity of the BDI, with a unidimensional structure. Item 19 (weight loss) presented a clear misfit in the five countries. IRT models, as well as MIMIC models, suggest that complete measurement invariance cannot be assumed across the five countries. The Spanish sample accounted for the majority of the differences, with a moderate to low Differential Item Functioning for the other Countries on the different items.Conclusions: The BDI could be used cross-culturally in Europe, with particular cautions regarding the Spanish sample, and with the constraints and limits pointed out for the present results. The methodology used for the present work is suggested as a soundness approach for testing the cross-cultural validity of severity rating scales. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
AB - Background: The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) has demonstrated excellent psychometric properties and good performance as a screening measure in different contexts and languages. However, comparison of its structure across countries and languages remains understudied. Measurement invariance is a prerequisite for considering the BDI equivalent across versions, and for using it to make valid and interpretable comparisons of the severity of depression among different groups.Methods: As part of a five-country (UK, Ireland, Spain, Norway, and Finland), two-stage epidemiological study of depressive disorder, 7934 persons were screened using the BDI. The item equivalence and measurement invariance of the BDI across the samples of the five countries was tested using Item Response Theory (IRT) and Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) models.Results: Overall results support the factorial validity of the BDI, with a unidimensional structure. Item 19 (weight loss) presented a clear misfit in the five countries. IRT models, as well as MIMIC models, suggest that complete measurement invariance cannot be assumed across the five countries. The Spanish sample accounted for the majority of the differences, with a moderate to low Differential Item Functioning for the other Countries on the different items.Conclusions: The BDI could be used cross-culturally in Europe, with particular cautions regarding the Spanish sample, and with the constraints and limits pointed out for the present results. The methodology used for the present work is suggested as a soundness approach for testing the cross-cultural validity of severity rating scales. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
KW - Depressive disorder
KW - Psychometric properties
KW - Questionnaires
KW - Screening
KW - COMMUNITY
KW - EUROPE
KW - SYMPTOMS
U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2008.06.021
DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2008.06.021
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
C2 - 18684511
SN - 0165-0327
VL - 114
SP - 156
EP - 162
JO - Journal of Affective Disorders
JF - Journal of Affective Disorders
IS - 1-3
ER -