Screening performance of the postpartum depression screening scale--Spanish version

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychometrics
• Mental Health

Background:

• Depression screening tools are crucial for early diagnosis and treatment.
• Validating Spanish-language versions of these tools is essential for serving Hispanic/Latino populations.
• The Patient Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) is a widely used depression assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Patient Depression Screening Scale (PDSS).
• To determine the reliability and validity of the Spanish PDSS in diverse Hispanic/Latino subgroups.
• To establish an optimal cutoff score for screening major and minor depression.

Main Methods:

• The Spanish PDSS was administered to Puerto Rican/Caribbean (n=68), Mexican (n=64), and Central/South American (n=18) participants.
• Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha for each subgroup.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cutoff score.

Main Results:

• High alpha reliabilities were found for the Spanish PDSS across all subgroups (.96, .95, .95).
• A cutoff score of 60 demonstrated 84% sensitivity and 84% specificity for detecting depression.
• Psychometric properties were slightly lower than the English PDSS but within acceptable ranges.

Conclusions:

• The Spanish PDSS is a psychometrically sound instrument for depression screening in Hispanic/Latino individuals.
• A cutoff score of 60 is recommended for identifying combined major and minor depression.
• The Spanish PDSS is a valuable tool for mental health professionals serving Spanish-speaking populations.