Validating the Structure of the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale

Psychosomatics. 2018 May-Jun;59(3):277-282. doi: 10.1016/j.psym.2017.11.002. Epub 2017 Nov 14.

Abstract

Background: Depressed primary care patients may present with somatic symptoms first, complicating differential diagnosis. Clinicians have few instruments for assessing this comorbidity.

Objective: To evaluate the psychometrics of the translated Chinese Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale (DSSS) in Americans.

Procedures: A total of 491 nonclinical but symptomatic ethnically-diverse individuals completed the DSSS and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).

Results: Factor analysis yielded 2 distinct factors: depression and somatic symptoms. DSSS and subscales showed internal consistency, reliability, and convergent validity with CES-D and subscales.

Conclusions: These results support DSSS's trustworthiness for US populations. Using DSSS for patient assessment may assist diagnosis and inform interventions.

Keywords: Comorbidity; Depression; Primary care; Psychology; Somatic symptoms; Somatization.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Depression / diagnosis*
  • Depression / psychology
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / diagnosis*
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / psychology
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medically Unexplained Symptoms*
  • Pain / diagnosis*
  • Pain / psychology
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Translations
  • United States
  • Young Adult