title: [Latent structure of depression in the elderly: a taxometric analysis].
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the latent structure of depression with a non-clinical sample of elderly, using taxometric analysis. The latter consists of a family of statistical procedures conceived for testing whether a given psychological construct is best represented by categories or dimensions in which individuals vary. The sample consisted of 570 elderly with a mean age of 71.9 years (SD = 7.45), who answered the Brazilian version of the Geriatric Depression Scale, a cognitive test, and demographic questions. Three taxometric procedures were used: Mean Above Minus Below A Cut (MAMBAC), Maximum Eigenvalue (MAXEIG), and Latent Mode (L-mode). Sets of simulated categorical and dimensional data, along with the comparison curve fit indices (CCFI), oriented the study data's interpretation. The results with the three techniques pointed to a better fit with the dimensional format as opposed to the taxonic one, that is, depression represented better as a syndrome in which subjects are distributed along a continuum rather than as a discrete diagnostic entity.
authors: Maria do Carmo
authors: Mdo C
authors: Eulálio
authors: Thiago Francisco de
authors: TF
authors: Andrade
authors: Rômulo Lustosa Pimenteira de
authors: RL
authors: Melo
authors: Anita Liberalesso
authors: AL
authors: Neri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003863:Depression / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires