Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats
Published on: February 22, 2018
[Construction of a depression scale with the Rasch model]
Natalia Cadavid1, Ana R Delgado, Gerardo Prieto
1Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain. ncadavid@usal.es
Abstract:
This study examines the psychometric properties of a depression questionnaire. The goal was to improve the technical quality of traditional measures of depression in Spanish youth. 310 participants, aged 18-24 years, filled in the self-report questionnaire. The data were analyzed by means of the Rasch model. Results show that model fit, average item reliability (.97), and average person reliability (.88) are high. After deleting four indicators showing misfit and 12 showing sex bias, the resulting scale measures clinical depression objectively. Using this scale, the expected sex-related differences are found.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Report Tests of Personality
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...