Validation of the Armenian Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) among ethnic Armenians in Lebanon.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this paper is to report on the Armenian version of the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (Armenian CES-D) and its validity and reliability when administered to a community sample of ethnic Armenians in Lebanon.


METHODS
A total of 172 participants completed the Armenian CES-D Scale, the Mood Rating Scale, the Armenian Psychological Well-Being Scale and the General Family Functioning Scale. The factor structure and internal consistency of the Armenian CES-D and its correlation with the remaining measures were evaluated.


RESULTS
Two factors correlating r = 0.34 with each other were obtained. The depression factor comprised 16 psychological, somatic and interpersonal expressions of depressive symptoms and correlated r = 0.97 with Armenian CES-D scores. The well-being factor comprised four positive expressions of affect and correlated r = 0.34 with Armenian CES-D scores. Depression scores correlated r = -0.39 with psychological well-being scores, r = -0.34 with mood ratings and r = -0.23 with family functioning scores; the comparable correlations for well-being scores were r = -0.46, r = -0.41, and r = -0.33, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The Armenian CES-D is likely measuring two distinct aspects of mental health, depression and well-being, and the depression factor may be as adequate in measuring the Armenian depressed mind as the 20-item Armenian CES-D Scale.
Kazarian
Shahe S
SS
Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon. sk29@aub.edu.lb
D000328:Adult; D001136:Armenia / Q000208:ethnology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors