An examination of the measurement adequacy of the CES-D among African American women family caregivers

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) has been used extensively in community-based surveys to describe and explain the prevalence of depression in the general population. Yet, questions have been raised regarding its adequacy for use among ethnic minority because of its factor variance. Employing a within-gender and race approach, we test the validity of the CES-D for use among a sample of African American women family caregivers. Using data from a cross-sectional community sample of 521 urban and rural African American women family caregivers, this study examines the dimensionality of the CES-D by testing four different measurement models through confirmatory factor analyses. Among the four measurement models tested using Weighted Least Squares estimation, our findings support previous research that has identified four dimensions in the CES-D: depressed affect, positive affect, somatic complaints, and interpersonal relations for our sample. Additionally, a three-factor (somatization) model and a four-factor model were shown to be equivalent. Implications for further measurement and model testing, and the use of the CES-D for research among African American women caregivers are discussed.