[Validity of the brief Zung's scale for screening major depressive episode among the general population from Bucaramanga, Colombia].
BACKGROUND
Brief scales for identiFying depressive disorder are as useful as long scales for screening. However, a validated scale with these characteristics is not avalaible in Colombia.


OBJECTIVE
To design a brief Zung's self-rating depression scale in order to screen major depressive episodes among adults dwelling in the general community.


METHODS
After filling-out the 20-item Zung's self-rating depression scale, the ten items with the higher correlation with total score were selected. Construct and criterion validity were computed for these ten items.


RESULTS
The ten chosen items showed an internal consistency of 0.803, one factor that accounted for 36.6% of the variance; sensitivity was 95.5%; specificity, 70.3%; Cohen's kappa, 0.415; and area under receptor-operator curve, 0.898.


CONCLUSIONS
The brief Zung's self-rating depression scale exhibits psychometric properties similar to the long version. This brief scale can be used as a screening device in the general population.
Campo
Adalberto
A
Grupo de Neuropsiquiatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Bucaramanga, Colombia. acampoar@unab.edu.co
Díaz
Luis Alfonso
LA
Rueda
Germán Eduardo
GE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003105:Colombia; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires