Validity and Reliability of the Five-Item Version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-5) Among Iranian Older...

The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is widely used to screen depression in older adults, yet culturally adapted brief forms require validation.

This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Persian Five-Item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-5) to ensure its suitability for accurate and efficient depression screening among Iranian older adults.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Persian Five-Item GDS (GDS-5) in 200 Iranian older adults. Structural validity was examined using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Concurrent validity, test-retest reliability, and diagnostic accuracy were assessed using standard correlation and ROC analyses.

EFA supported a coherent one-factor structure. The GDS-5 showed strong concurrent validity with the CES-D (r = .71, p < .001) and excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.809, p < .001). ROC analysis demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.924). At the optimal cutoff, sensitivity was 0.98 and specificity was 0.77.

Overall, the present study demonstrates that the Persian version of the GDS-5 is a valid, reliable, and diagnostically accurate screening instrument for depressive symptoms among Iranian older adults. Future research should focus on validating the instrument in diverse settings (e.g., primary care clinics, long-term care facilities) and utilizing a wider sample with diverse sociodemographic characteristics to improve generalizability.