Bidimensional structure and measurement equivalence of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: sex-sensitive assessment of depressive symptoms in three representative German cohort studies

Abstract Background The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) has been proposed as a reliable and valid screening instrument for depressive symptoms with one latent factor. However, studies explicitly testing alternative model structures found support for a two-dimensional structure reflecting a so...

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Main Authors: Ana N. Tibubos, Daniëlle Otten, Daniela Zöller, Harald Binder, Philipp S. Wild, Toni Fleischer, Hamimatunnisa Johar, Seryan Atasoy, Lara Schulze, Karl-Heinz Ladwig, Georg Schomerus, Birgit Linkohr, Hans J. Grabe, Johannes Kruse, Carsten-Oliver Schmidt, Thomas Münzel, Jochem König, Elmar Brähler, Manfred E. Beutel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-05-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03234-x
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author Ana N. Tibubos
Daniëlle Otten
Daniela Zöller
Harald Binder
Philipp S. Wild
Toni Fleischer
Hamimatunnisa Johar
Seryan Atasoy
Lara Schulze
Karl-Heinz Ladwig
Georg Schomerus
Birgit Linkohr
Hans J. Grabe
Johannes Kruse
Carsten-Oliver Schmidt
Thomas Münzel
Jochem König
Elmar Brähler
Manfred E. Beutel
author_facet Ana N. Tibubos
Daniëlle Otten
Daniela Zöller
Harald Binder
Philipp S. Wild
Toni Fleischer
Hamimatunnisa Johar
Seryan Atasoy
Lara Schulze
Karl-Heinz Ladwig
Georg Schomerus
Birgit Linkohr
Hans J. Grabe
Johannes Kruse
Carsten-Oliver Schmidt
Thomas Münzel
Jochem König
Elmar Brähler
Manfred E. Beutel
author_sort Ana N. Tibubos
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) has been proposed as a reliable and valid screening instrument for depressive symptoms with one latent factor. However, studies explicitly testing alternative model structures found support for a two-dimensional structure reflecting a somatic and a cognitive-affective dimension. We investigated the bidimensional structure of the PHQ-9, with a somatic (sleeping problems, fatigability, appetitive problems, and psychomotor retardation) and a cognitive-affective dimension (lack of interest, depressed mood, negative feelings about self, concentration problems, and suicidal ideation), and tested for sex- and regional-differences. Methods We have included data from the GEnder-Sensitive Analyses of mental health trajectories and implications for prevention: A multi-cohort consortium (GESA). Privacy-preserving analyses to provide information on the overall population and cohort-specific information and analyses of variance to compare depressive, somatic and cognitive-affective symptoms between sexes and cohorts were executed in DataSHIELD. In order to determine the dimensionality and measurement invariance of the PHQ-9 we tested three models (1 factor, 2 correlated factors, and bifactor) via confirmatory analyses and performed multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Results Differences between sex and cohorts exist for PHQ-9 and for both of its dimensions. Women reported depressive symptoms in general as well as somatic and cognitive-affective symptoms more frequently. For all tested models an acceptable to excellent fit was found, consistently indicating a better model fit for the two-factor and bifactor model. Scalar measurement invariance was established between women and men, the three cohorts, and their interaction. Conclusions The two facets of depression should be taken into account when using PHQ-9, while data also render support to a general factor. Somatic and cognitive-affective symptoms assessed by the PHQ-9 can be considered equivalent across women and men and between different German populations from different regions.
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spelling doaj.art-1556e73148dd473f8cbfe39ccbfb726e2022-12-21T20:25:49ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2021-05-0121111310.1186/s12888-021-03234-xBidimensional structure and measurement equivalence of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: sex-sensitive assessment of depressive symptoms in three representative German cohort studiesAna N. Tibubos0Daniëlle Otten1Daniela Zöller2Harald Binder3Philipp S. Wild4Toni Fleischer5Hamimatunnisa Johar6Seryan Atasoy7Lara Schulze8Karl-Heinz Ladwig9Georg Schomerus10Birgit Linkohr11Hans J. Grabe12Johannes Kruse13Carsten-Oliver Schmidt14Thomas Münzel15Jochem König16Elmar Brähler17Manfred E. Beutel18Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzFreiburg Center of Data Analysis and Modelling, Mathematical Institute – Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of FreiburgFreiburg Center of Data Analysis and Modelling, Mathematical Institute – Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of FreiburgPreventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine GreifswaldDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Gieβen and MarburgDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Gieβen and MarburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine GreifswaldDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität MünchenDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Leipzig University Medical CenterHelmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of EpidemiologyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine GreifswaldDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Gieβen and MarburgInstitute for Community Management, University Medicine GreifswaldDZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Rhine-MainInstitute for Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzAbstract Background The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) has been proposed as a reliable and valid screening instrument for depressive symptoms with one latent factor. However, studies explicitly testing alternative model structures found support for a two-dimensional structure reflecting a somatic and a cognitive-affective dimension. We investigated the bidimensional structure of the PHQ-9, with a somatic (sleeping problems, fatigability, appetitive problems, and psychomotor retardation) and a cognitive-affective dimension (lack of interest, depressed mood, negative feelings about self, concentration problems, and suicidal ideation), and tested for sex- and regional-differences. Methods We have included data from the GEnder-Sensitive Analyses of mental health trajectories and implications for prevention: A multi-cohort consortium (GESA). Privacy-preserving analyses to provide information on the overall population and cohort-specific information and analyses of variance to compare depressive, somatic and cognitive-affective symptoms between sexes and cohorts were executed in DataSHIELD. In order to determine the dimensionality and measurement invariance of the PHQ-9 we tested three models (1 factor, 2 correlated factors, and bifactor) via confirmatory analyses and performed multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Results Differences between sex and cohorts exist for PHQ-9 and for both of its dimensions. Women reported depressive symptoms in general as well as somatic and cognitive-affective symptoms more frequently. For all tested models an acceptable to excellent fit was found, consistently indicating a better model fit for the two-factor and bifactor model. Scalar measurement invariance was established between women and men, the three cohorts, and their interaction. Conclusions The two facets of depression should be taken into account when using PHQ-9, while data also render support to a general factor. Somatic and cognitive-affective symptoms assessed by the PHQ-9 can be considered equivalent across women and men and between different German populations from different regions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03234-xDepressionSomatic dimensionCognitive-affective dimensionSex-differencesRegional differences
spellingShingle Ana N. Tibubos
Daniëlle Otten
Daniela Zöller
Harald Binder
Philipp S. Wild
Toni Fleischer
Hamimatunnisa Johar
Seryan Atasoy
Lara Schulze
Karl-Heinz Ladwig
Georg Schomerus
Birgit Linkohr
Hans J. Grabe
Johannes Kruse
Carsten-Oliver Schmidt
Thomas Münzel
Jochem König
Elmar Brähler
Manfred E. Beutel
Bidimensional structure and measurement equivalence of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: sex-sensitive assessment of depressive symptoms in three representative German cohort studies
BMC Psychiatry
Depression
Somatic dimension
Cognitive-affective dimension
Sex-differences
Regional differences
title Bidimensional structure and measurement equivalence of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: sex-sensitive assessment of depressive symptoms in three representative German cohort studies
title_full Bidimensional structure and measurement equivalence of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: sex-sensitive assessment of depressive symptoms in three representative German cohort studies
title_fullStr Bidimensional structure and measurement equivalence of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: sex-sensitive assessment of depressive symptoms in three representative German cohort studies
title_full_unstemmed Bidimensional structure and measurement equivalence of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: sex-sensitive assessment of depressive symptoms in three representative German cohort studies
title_short Bidimensional structure and measurement equivalence of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: sex-sensitive assessment of depressive symptoms in three representative German cohort studies
title_sort bidimensional structure and measurement equivalence of the patient health questionnaire 9 sex sensitive assessment of depressive symptoms in three representative german cohort studies
topic Depression
Somatic dimension
Cognitive-affective dimension
Sex-differences
Regional differences
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03234-x
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