Preliminary report on reliability and validity of the trait form of the Depression Adjective Check List in a...

The purpose of this study was to investigate preliminary internal consistency and split-half reliability estimates of the trait form of the Depression Adjective Check List-Form E (DACL-E), as well as to validate three specific adjectives. The sample consisted of 294 residents of 17 inner-city neighborhoods of a large midwestern city, selected through a modified cluster sampling procedure. The Cronbach's alpha and split-half reliability estimates were similar in magnitude for both genders (.88 for males and .85 for females) and were at a level generally found to be reliable. Analyses of the three DACL-E adjectives--"distressed," "safe," and "active"--were related, respectively, to fear of crime (p less than .01), perception of one's safety (p less than .01), and active participation in crime prevention activities (p less than .001).