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Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modelling of the factor structure of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales-21

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  • Rapson Gomez
  • Vasileios Stavropoulos
  • Mark D Griffiths

Abstract

The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) involves a simple structure first-order three-factor oblique model, with factors for depression, anxiety, and stress. Recently, concerns have been raised over the value of using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for studying the factor structure of scales in general. However, such concerns can be circumvented using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). Consequently, the present study used CFA and ESEM with target rotation to examine the factor structure of the DASS-21 among an adult community. It compared first-order CFA, ESEM with target rotation, bi-factor CFA (BCFA), and bi-factor BESEM with target rotation models with group/specific factors for depression, anxiety, and stress. A total of 738 adults (males = 374, and females = 364; M = 25.29 years; SD = 7.61 years) completed the DASS-21. While all models examined showed good global fit values, one or more of the group/specific factors in the BCFA, ESEM with target rotation and BESEM with target rotation models were poorly defined. As the first-order CFA model was most parsimonious, with well-defined factors that were also supported in terms of their reliabilities and validities, this model was selected as the preferred DASS-21 model. The implications of the findings for use and revision of the DASS-21 are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Rapson Gomez & Vasileios Stavropoulos & Mark D Griffiths, 2020. "Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modelling of the factor structure of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales-21," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0233998
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233998
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    1. Samuel Green & Yanyun Yang, 2009. "Reliability of Summed Item Scores Using Structural Equation Modeling: An Alternative to Coefficient Alpha," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 74(1), pages 155-167, March.
    2. K. Jöreskog, 1969. "A general approach to confirmatory maximum likelihood factor analysis," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 34(2), pages 183-202, June.
    3. Minh Thi Hong Le & Thach Duc Tran & Sara Holton & Huong Thanh Nguyen & Rory Wolfe & Jane Fisher, 2017. "Reliability, convergent validity and factor structure of the DASS-21 in a sample of Vietnamese adolescents," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(7), pages 1-14, July.
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