DASS-21: assessment of psychological distress through the Bifactor Model and item analysis

• Autor(a) principal: Peixoto,Evandro Morais
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Oliveira,Karina da Silva, Campos,Carolina Rosa, Gagnon,Joel, Zanini,Daniela Sacramento, Nakano,Tatiana de Cássia, Bueno,José Maurício Haas
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Psico-USF (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-82712021000400757
• topic: stress; anxiety; depression; internal structure; test validity

Abstract The term distress has been used to refer to a continuous variable operationalized through symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. In this study, psychological distress is measured using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Confirmatory Factor Analysis compared the fit of different measurement models for the DASS-21, with the parameters of the items verified through the Andrich rating scale model. A non-clinical sample of 530 participants (mean age=24.35±6.55 years; 71.89% women) responded to the instrument. According to the theoretical hypothesis, the results indicated a better fit for the bifactor model, composed of three specific factors (depression, anxiety, and stress) and a general factor (general psychological distress). The assessment of the item properties allowed for a better understanding of the organization of the continuum represented by the construct psychological distress. It is possible to conclude that the Brazilian version of the DASS-21 is an adequate measure for psychological distress.