Psychometric properties of the Nepali language version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS‐21)
Deependra Kaji Thapa, Denis Visentin, Rachel Kornhaber, Michelle Cleary
Abstract
AIM: To assess the psychometric properties of the Nepali language version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional survey. METHODS: The DASS-21 was administered (May-July 2019) among 794 randomly selected older adults aged ≥60 years. Factor structure was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Cronbach's alpha was calculated, and correlation analyses with quality of life evaluated convergent validity. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the 21 items loaded on three factors, with factor loadings ranging from 0.50-0.88. Confirmatory factor analysis suggested a four-factor model including the three subscales and an additional common 'general distress' factor, which demonstrated a better overall fit. Good reliability was found for each subscale, with Cronbach's alphas 0.79 for Anxiety, 0.91 for Stress, and 0.93 for Depression. The Nepali language version of the DASS-21 satisfied convergent validity with all subscales depicting significant negative correlations with quality of life demonstrating adequate psychometric properties.