A taxometric study of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale

Abstract

The authors assessed the latent structure of depressive symptoms as measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D; L. S. Radloff, 1977). By using taxometric procedures, the authors conducted analyses of CES-D data obtained from a large college student population. These procedures incorporated strategies for interpreting analyses of skewed indicators and small putative taxa. The authors hypothesized that CES-D total scores would be represented as a dimension, with a taxonic distribution of a factor incorporating somatic symptoms. Results indicated that all CES-D factors, including the factor composed of somatic complaints, were dimensional. Administration of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule-IV (L. N. Robins, L. Marcus, & W. Reich, 1996) to one quarter of the participants indicated that the CES-D was effective in identifying cases of current or recent clinical depression. Evidence of the dimensionality of CES-D indicators in a student population is consistent with a continuity view of depressive symptoms.