Factor structure of the CES-D scale among older adults in Chennai, India

To examine the psychometric properties of the 20-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Data were collected from 400 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and above, residing in Chennai, India. The instruments including the CES-D scale were translated into Tamil language. The sample was randomly split for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), respectively. EFA on a subsample (n=200) yielded two factors, depressed affect and positive affect. CFA with another subsample (n=200) indicated a good fit for the two-factor structure. In addition, the two-factor model evinced a superior fit to one-, three- and four-factor models. The internal consistency was high for the total scale and its subscales. The convergent validity of the scale was supported by significant correlations with theoretically related measures. The results indicate acceptable measurement properties of the CES-D scale. However, some items appear to be problematic for Indian older adults. Therefore, there is a need for further studies among Indian older adults.