Typological Profiles of Depression of College Students: Latent Classes and Controlling for Response Bias of the Baptista Depression Short-Scale (EBADEP-short)

Perfis Tipológicos de Depressão de Universitários: Classes Latentes e Controle de Viés de Resposta da Escala Reduzida Baptista de Depressão - (EBADEP-short)

Tipología de la Depresión de Estudiantes Universitarios: Clases Latentes y Control del Sesgo de Respuesta de la Escala Reducida Baptista de Depresión (EBADEP-short)

Abstract

Response styles and non-linearity might reduce the validity of scores on depression inventories. To address both issues, we explored the latent class structure of the Baptista’s Depression Scale (EBADEP), and the influence of extreme response bias. In total, 1,137 Brazilian college students (M = 26 years, SD = 7.3) participated in this study. Taxometric analysis yielded ambiguous results, without clear support for either a dimensional or a categorical representation of the data. We found three latent classes: one comprising participants with a tendency to endorse items about sadness, angst, pessimism, and low self-efficacy; another with individuals scoring low on all symptoms; and a third with intermediate scores. We found no relationship between the composition of latent classes and extreme response. Participants who reported having received a diagnostic of depression were more likely to belong to the first latent class. These findings validate the clinical usefulness of a latent class structure for the EBADEP.

Keywords:
affective disorders; test bias; depression; psychological assessment; psychological testing