Comparing short versions of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (Dass)
A psychometric study in the Italian general population
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9405666 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Amparo Moret-Tatay (Valencia Catholic University Saint Vincent Martyr, corresponding author), Marcelino Pérez-Bemejo (Valencia Catholic University Saint Vincent Martyr), Maria D Llorente (Valencia Catholic University Saint Vincent Martyr), Maria Teresa Murillo Llorente, Carmen Moret-Tatay (0000-0002-2867-9399, Valencia Catholic University Saint Vincent Martyr, corresponding author), José Vicente Esteve‐Rodrigo (Valencia Catholic University Saint Vincent Martyr), José Vicente Esteve-Rodrigo (0000-0002-6008-2242), Simona De Stasio (0000-0001-6300-5990, Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 259 |
| Pages | 105372-105372 |
| Publication date | 2025-08-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Acta Psychologica (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105372 |
| PMID | 40812257 |
| OpenAlex | W4413138170 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 31 |
Mental health disorders are a growing concern in Italy, where prevalence rates for anxiety and depression reach 5.1 % and 3.5 %, respectively (ESEMeD study), compounded by post-COVID-19 socioeconomic stressors. Validated, efficient tools for screening are urgently needed. This study compares the psychometric properties of the DASS-21 and its short forms, the DASS-12, DASS-10, and DASS-8, in the Italian general population. A total of 204 Italian adults (M age = 35.14, SD = 12.84) participated via an online survey. We evaluated test-retest reliability, convergent validity with the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), and structural validity through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Reliability was high across all versions (r = 0.94-0.98). Convergent validity with the BRCS showed negative correlations (r = -0.39 to -0.14), with the strongest associations for the depression subscales of DASS-12 (r = -0.39) and DASS-21 (r = -0.359), likely due to their alignment with cognitive-emotional resilience, while weaker anxiety correlations reflect its somatic focus. CFA results showed that the DASS-8 had the best model fit (CFI = 0.979, RMSEA = 0.064). It also demonstrated the strongest bifactor structure, with the highest omega hierarchical coefficient and explained variance. While all versions performed adequately, trade-offs emerged: the DASS-8 offered excellent fit but limited domain coverage; the DASS-10 showed structural inconsistencies; and the DASS-12 provided a balanced compromise. The DASS-8 is recommended for rapid screening in primary care and digital health platforms, supporting scalable public health strategies for early detection and intervention. The DASS-12 may be preferable when construct differentiation is essential
Anxiety · Confirmatory factor analysis · Convergent validity · DASS · Environmental health · Mental health · Population · Psychiatry · Psychometrics · Statistics · Stressor · Structural equation modeling · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Mathematics · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health
Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (Dass-21)
Tripartite model of anxiety and depression
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (Dass)
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21
Adaptation and validation of the depression, anxiety and stress scale (Dass) to Brazilian Portuguese
Examining the Dimensionality, Reliability, and Invariance of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale–21 (Dass-21) Across Eight Countries
The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Brief Resilient Coping Scale
Psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (Dass) in clinical samples
Testing a tripartite model
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales—21 (Dass‐21)
Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis
The structure of negative emotional states
Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress
Psychometric properties of the 42-item and 21-item versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales in clinical groups and a community sample.
Using a bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling framework to examine the factor structure of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales-21
Anxiety, resilience and local conditions
Psychometric evaluation of Dass versions among Spanish and Chinese teachers using exploratory structural equation modeling (Esem)
Long-term impact of resilience and extraversion on psychological distress during the Covid-19 pandemic
Mental Health of Nurses during the Fourth Wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Poland
Psychometric Properties of an Arabic Version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (Dass)
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |