Validation of the Vietnamese version of the Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) in rheumatoid arthritis patients

This study aimed to validate the Vietnamese version of the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A cross-sectional study was conducted on RA patients, with depression severity assessed using both MADRS and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, and the correlation between MADRS and PHQ-9 was measured using Spearman’s correlation. Face validity was established through a back-translation process to ensure language equivalence. The translated version underwent exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate its construct validity. The Vietnamese MADRS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.93) and a strong linear correlation with PHQ-9 (Spearman’s r = 0.88). Exploratory factor analysis identified a two-factor structure, categorizing depressive symptoms into general and severe clusters, which was confirmed in confirmatory factor analysis with borderline goodness of fit. Despite limitations such as sample specificity and the absence of a gold standard diagnostic tool, the study suggests that the Vietnamese MADRS can be effectively used in clinical and research settings in Vietnam for assessing depression in RA patients.