Latent structure of depression in a Japanese population sample: taxometric procedures

Although the debate on whether mental disorders are categorical or dimensional is critical for researchers and practitioners, past findings of taxometric studies of depression have been somewhat contradictory and difficult to reconcile. One reason for the disagreement was that most researchers relied only on selected samples (students, clinical patients, or screened community samples). The present study investigated whether the latent structure of depression is categorical or dimensional using an unselected general community sample.

To determine whether the latent structure of depression assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale is categorical or dimensional, taxometric procedures were carried out on a Japanese general population-based sample of 20 987 individuals selected using a cluster sampling procedure.

Both the means above and below a sliding cut (MAMBAC) and the maximum eigenvalue (MAXEIG) procedures, using indicators drawn from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale yielded results that the latent structure of depression is dimensional.

The dimensional structure of depression should be considered when classifying individual differences and selecting suitable research designs.