Confirmatory factor analysis of Beck Depression Inventory-II with two American Indian samples

Area of Science:

• Psychological assessment
• Mental health research
• Cultural psychiatry

Background:

• The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) is a widely used depression assessment scale.
• Limited validation exists for the BDI-II across diverse ethnic and cultural populations.
• American Indian communities have unique cultural contexts that may influence depression assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the construct validity of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) in two distinct American Indian samples.
• To assess the internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the BDI-II in these populations.

Main Methods:

• Secondary data analysis of two independent American Indian samples (N=527 and N=440).
• Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to compare the BDI-II's factor structure with the original manual.
• Internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were assessed.

Main Results:

• Confirmatory factor analyses supported the original BDI-II factor structure in both American Indian samples.
• High internal consistency was found in Sample 1 (r = .94), with lower consistency in Sample 2 (r = .72).
• Convergent and discriminant validity measures were below acceptable standards for both samples.

Conclusions:

• The BDI-II demonstrates construct validity among Northern Plains American Indians.
• While the factor structure is supported, concerns regarding convergent and discriminant validity warrant further investigation.
• Clinical use of the BDI-II in this population should consider potential limitations in validity measures.