Title | Use of an IRT-based latent variable model to link different forms of the CES-D from the Health and Retirement Study. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2004 |
Authors | Jones, RN, Fonda, SJ |
Journal | Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol |
Volume | 39 |
Issue | 10 |
Pagination | 828-35 |
Date Published | 2004 Oct |
ISSN Number | 0933-7954 |
Keywords | Adult, Aged, Aging, Calibration, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Psychological Tests, Psychometrics, United States |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to calibrate depressive symptoms collected using different versions of the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression (CES-D) instrument in different waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). METHOD: The HRS is a prospective and nationally representative cohort study. This analysis included a sample of HRS participants, adults aged 23-85 years in 1992 who had complete data on depressive symptoms at initial 2- and 4-year follow-up interviews (N= 5,734). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the CES-D. Symptom coverage and response categories varied across study wave. The first wave (1992) used a four-category response, whereas subsequent waves (1994 and 1996) used a two-category response. A structural equations model (SEM) based in Item Response Theory (IRT) was used to calibrate symptoms and generate linked depressive symptom burden scores. RESULTS: Linked depressive symptom burden scores, derived from calibrated symptoms, were distributed similarly across HRS wave. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate the applicability of an IRT-based SEM to address a common challenge in prospective studies: changes in the content and context of symptom assessment. Future investigations may make use of our linked syndrome scores to further explore other aspects of depression from a longitudinal perspective. |
DOI | 10.1007/s00127-004-0815-8 |
User Guide Notes | |
Endnote Keywords | Depression |
Endnote ID | 13122 |
Alternate Journal | Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol |
Citation Key | 6946 |
PubMed ID | 15669664 |
Grant List | AG008812 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States AG021153 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States |