Factor structure of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in adolescent patients with chronic disease

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a screening instrument that assesses emotional symptoms in different populations and medical conditions. This study analyzes the psychometric properties and factor structure of the HADS in adolescents with chronic disease and the differences based on their medical condition.

The HADS was administered to a sample of 302 adolescents with chronic disease. Exploratory factor analyses were done in a subsample of 100 adolescents, while confirmatory factor analyses were performed in the rest of participants (202) to examine the validity and reliability of the HADS (14 items); an analysis of variance for a single factor was also done to study differences among diseases.

Patients were aged 12-16 years, with a similar sex ratio; 43 % had respiratory diseases and 47 %, endocrine disorders. The original two-factor structure (anxiety and depression) showed adequate fit indices and incorporated a second-order factor (emotional distress). Three of the original items were removed, thus obtaining a new 11-item version. This showed adequate psychometric properties, and differences were observed between patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and those with respiratory disease, but not in terms of short stature, in the depression factor.

The HADS displays an adequate reliability and validity in pediatric patients with chronic disease and is useful for the early detection of anxiety and depression in the health care setting.