Comparison of short scales to measure depressive symptoms in elders with diabetes.

ABSTRACT: Depression is the most common mental health problem among American elders and it is also prevalent among those with diabetes. The 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is commonly used to measure depressive symptoms in elders, but its length is potentially burdensome. Twelve short forms of the CES-D (4 to 16 items) exist, but they have not been tested with elders with diabetes. This study compared reliability and validity estimates across the 12 short forms and investigated similarities in classifying elders with diabetes as clinically depressed using standardized cut scores. Beck's theory provides a framework for identifying the affective, cognitive, behavioral, and somatic symptoms that are measured by the CES-D. Data were merged from two studies, which yiel

SUBMITTER: Zauszniewski JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3406324 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature