title: The BDI-II factor structure in pregnancy and postpartum: Two or three factors?
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) in pregnancy and postpartum. Women were asked to fill in the BDI-II in their last trimester of pregnancy and at 3 months after delivery. A total of 331 pregnant women, with a mean age of 29.7 years (SD=4.6), and 354 mothers, aged 30.6 years (SD=4.6 years), answered the BDI-II. The first group was mainly nulliparas (65.6%) and the second group was mostly primiparas (57.4%). Factor analyses with principal components solution and varimax rotation were performed. Based on the scree test of Cattell a 2-factor solution and a 3-factor solution were explored. The 2-factor solution was identical in pregnancy and postpartum. Items loading in the Cognitive-Affective factor and in the Somatic-Anxiety factor were almost the same, though the Cognitive-Affective factor explained more of the BDI-II total variance in pregnancy, whereas in postpartum both factors explained similar total variances. The 3-factor solution of the BDI-II in pregnancy and postpartum slightly diverged. Besides the Cognitive-Affective and the Somatic-Anxiety factors, a third factor, Fatigue, was obtained in pregnancy while Guilt was the third factor identified in postpartum. This study reveals that the BDI-II 3-factor solution might be more appropriate to assess depressive symptoms in pregnancy and postpartum.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal. sbos@fmed.uc.pt
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carvalho Bos
authors.forename: Ana Telma
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Berta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.forename: Maria Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Azevedo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012008:Recurrence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult