Psychometric Evaluation of the HSCL-10 Burmese Version as a Screening Tool for Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms among...

This study examines the psychometric properties of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-10 (HSCL-10) among Burmese refugee adults resettled in the United States (U.S.). Although widely used to screen for anxiety and depression, the HSCL-10 has not been validated in Burmese refugee populations.

This study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design with a sample of 217 Burmese refugee adults. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) examined the underlying factor structure of the HLSC-10, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess model fit. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and divergent validity was evaluated using the WHO-5 Index, a global well-being scale.

EFA supported a two-factor structure consistent with the theoretical structure of the original HSCL-10, comprising the depression (HSCL-D) and anxiety (HSCL-A) subscales, which accounted for 63.61% of the total variance. Internal consistency was high for both subscales (α = 0.88 for depression; α = 0.92 for anxiety). CFA indicated good model fit (χ²=46.01, df = 34, p < .082); GFI = 0.961; NFI = 0.937; TLI = 0.984; CFI = 0.988; and RMSEA = 0.040 [0.001-0.068]). The HSCL-D and HSCL-A showed significant inverse correlations with the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, supporting divergent validity.

Findings support the two-factor structure of the HSCL-10 and provide evidence of acceptable internal consistency and divergent validity in a Burmese refugee sample. These results extend prior research and contribute to the limited literature on its use in Burmese refugee populations.

The HSCL-10 demonstrates promising psychometric properties and preliminary evidence of validity for assessing anxiety and depressive symptoms among Burmese refugee adults, and may be useful in both clinical and research settings.