NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Subconstructs of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in a multi-ethnic inner-city population in the U.S.

Chiu Y-HM; Sheffield PE; Hsu H-HL; Goldstein J; Curtin PC; Wright RJ

Arch Womens Ment Health 2017 Dec; 20(6):803-810

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-017-0765-2

20051205

The ten-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is one of the most widely used self-report measures of postpartum depression. Although originally described as a one-dimensional measure, the recognition that depressive symptoms may be differentially experienced across cultural and racial/ethnic groups has led to studies examining structural equivalence of the EPDS in different populations. Variation of the factor structure remains understudied across racial/ethnic groups of US women. We examined the factor structure of the EPDS assessed 6 months postpartum in 515 women (29% black, 53% Hispanic, 18% white) enrolled in an urban Boston longitudinal birth cohort. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified that a three-factor model, including depression, anxiety, and anhedonia subscales, was the most optimal fit in our sample as a whole and across race/ethnicity. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the fit of both the two- and three-factor models reported in prior research. CFA confirmed the best fit for a three-factor model, with minimal differences across race/ethnicity. "Things get on top of me" loaded on the anxiety factor among Hispanics, but loaded on the depression factor in whites and African Americans. These findings suggest that EPDS factor structure may need to be adjusted for diverse samples and warrants further study.

Sociological factors; Humans; Women; Racial factors; Psychological effects; Models; Author Keywords: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; Postpartum depression; Anxiety; Anhedonia; Race; Ethnicity; Factor analysis

Yueh-Hsiu Mathilda Chiu, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York 10029-5674

AWMHF4

20171201

Journal Article

mathilda.chiu@mssm.edu

Grant

2018

Grant-Number-T42-OH-008422

6

1434-1816

Archives of Women's Mental Health

NY

Mount Sinai School of Medicine