Somatic Complaints and the CES‐D
- 1 March 1992
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
- Vol. 40 (3), 259-262
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1992.tb02079.x
Abstract
To evaluate the Center for Epidemiology Surveys-Depression (CES-D) scale for inordinate false positives, due to measurement of non-depression-related somatic complaints. Cross-sectional correlation of analysis of random multi-cluster samples. Thirteen counties considered representative of the community-dwelling elderly population of Alabama. One-thousand-sixty persons aged 55 and older. None. Study evaluated the relationship of somatic symptomatology, as measured by the Multi-Level Assessment Instrument's Physical Health Domain Index (PHDI) composite score and its three component indices, with the CES-D and its four component scales, particularly the Somatic scale. The CES-D total score and the Somatic scale were not related to: age increases in the sample; PHDI composite score or the three index scores; or to subgroups of high and low PHDI composite scores. Among those screened as depressed, the PHDI and the three indices were not related to the CES-D total score or three of the four subscales. The CES-D Somatic scale was positively related to those depressed persons with the highest number of total PHDI somatic complaints. However, among the depressed group there were more persons scoring greater than 1.5 standard deviations above the mean on the CES-D Depressive Affect scale (n = 81) than on the Somatic scale (n = 65). The CES-D and its Somatic scale were relatively unbiased by the respondent's somatic complaints. The CES-D can continue to be considered valid under these circumstances.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Measurement properties of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in older populations.Psychological Assessment, 1990
- Depressive symptom patterns among older women.Psychology and Aging, 1990
- Detecting depression in elderly medical inpatients.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1988
- A Comparison of Somatic Complaints Among Depressed and Non-DepressedOlder PersonsThe Gerontologist, 1985
- Physicians' Recognition, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Mental Disorders in Elderly Medical PatientsThe Gerontologist, 1984
- Age and Sex Differences in Somatic Complaints Associated With DepressionJournal of Gerontology, 1984
- Factorial invariance: A methodological issue in the study of psychological developmentExperimental Aging Research, 1982
- A Research and Service Oriented Multilevel Assessment InstrumentJournal of Gerontology, 1982
- Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: A preliminary reportJournal of Psychiatric Research, 1982
- The CES-D ScaleApplied Psychological Measurement, 1977