Application of DASS-21 in Chinese students: invariance testing and network analysis

Autor: Zheng Zhang, Ruoheng Lin, Andi Qiu, Huifeng Wu, Shuo Wu, Le Zhang, Zijun Wu, Mengna Li, Xiangbin Zhang, Jiansong Zhou
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: BMC Public Health, Vol 24, Iss 1, Pp 1-11 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20123-6
Popis: Abstract Background The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) is commonly used to assess the mental health of students, but there is a need for further clarification regarding its equivalence, structure, and core items. Methods We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on a sample of 7943 Chinese students to examine the performance of the DASS-21 and assess measurement invariance. Additionally, we utilized network analysis to investigate the structure and centrality of students’ mental health. Results Our findings revealed a stable three-factor structure for the DASS-21, characterized by high correlations among depression, anxiety, and stress. The DASS-21 demonstrated strict invariance across genders and weak invariance across levels of education. Network analysis indicated that symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress form clusters, with some symptoms exhibiting strong correlations with each other. Conclusion Our study highlights a substantial interrelation among depression, anxiety, and stress, revealing a structurally clustered pattern. Network analysis underscores the interconnectedness and centrality of these symptoms, recommending a shorter version of the DASS, and emphasizing the imperative for targeted interventions aimed at improving the psychological well-being of students.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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