Translation, validation and reliability of depression, anxiety, and stress 42 (DASS-42) among Herat University...

This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Dari-translated Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-42 (DASS-42) in university students in Herat, Afghanistan.

A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to November 2022 with 1000 undergraduate students at Herat University. Participants completed a self-reported Dari-translated DASS-42 questionnaire. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was employed to assess the scale's factor structure, and internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. The test-retest reliability was also examined over a 2-3 week interval.

The CFA results indicated a good fit for the three-factor model, with RMSEA = 0.04 and CFI = 0.919, confirming the construct validity of the scale. Internal consistency was high, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.867, 0.831, and 0.848 for depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. The test-retest reliability coefficients for depression, anxiety, and stress were 0.956, 0.923, and 0.951, respectively. Additionally, DASS-42 showed significant correlations with other established mental health measures, indicating good convergent validity.

The DASS-42 is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing depression, anxiety, and stress among university students in Herat, Brazil. This comprehensive validation addresses previous limitations and supports the use of the scale in both clinical and non-clinical settings for early detection and intervention. Future research should explore the scale's applicability in more diverse Afghan populations and incorporate longitudinal designs to validate its predictive validity further.