Citation

Lu W, Lindsey MA, Irsheid S, Nebbitt VE. J. Soc. Social Work Res. 2017; 8(4): 595-619.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Society for Social Work and Research, Publisher University of Chicago Press)

DOI

10.1086/694791

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) has not been fully validated as a depression screening scale among Black adolescents. This study examines the psychometric properties of the CES-D as applied to Black adolescents, seeking to understand the unique way in which Black adolescents express their depression symptoms.

METHOD: We hypothesized that the expression and factor structure of depressive symptoms measured by CES-D would be different when applied to Black adolescents. Black adolescents (N = 782) ages 11-21 were recruited from 9 urban public housing developments in 4 large U.S. cities. Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) were used to compare the fit of competing models. Convergent validity of the CES-D was examined via associations with gender, age, and suicidal ideation in the ESEM model.

RESULTS: Instead of the original 4-factor structure of the CES-D, a 2-factor ESEM model demonstrated satisfactory fit to our data (CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.04). Compared with females, Black males were less likely to endorse positive affect items of the CES-D (r = −0.13, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Conceptualizations of depression among Black adolescents may differ from any other populations previously studied. Clinicians should assess the unique expression of depression among Black youth when developing treatment plans.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent depression; Black adolescents; CES-D; psychometric properties; public housing