Construct validity properties of the Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories in Kichwa-speaking Cañari adolescents in Ecuador

Abstract

Epidemiological evidence suggests that anxiety disorders and depression are common and are often assessed by self-reports. However, the content validity of self-reports may vary across cultures, which is relevant to the aims of the present study. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess construct validity using Confirmatory Factor Analysis in a sample of 230 bilingual students from the cantons of El Cañar, El Tambo and Suscal, who speak Kichwa, an indigenous language of Ecuador. The analysis of the results was carried out using the R statistical platform and the Lavaan package. The results showed that both instruments have construct validity in the Kichwa language, with an RMSEA of 0.025, SRMR of 0.049, TLI of 0.920, CFI of 0.924 and X2/gl of 1.15. Furthermore, the level of reliability was high, with a McDonald's ω coefficient of 0.964 for the depression inventory and 0.952 for the anxiety inventory. Therefore, the authors of the study recommend its use for assessing anxiety and depression in adolescents in Kichwa-speaking bilingual educational institutions. In summary, the validation of assessment instruments is essential to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the results obtained, especially in different cultures and language groups. The present study provides evidence of the validity and reliability of two self-report scales for assessing anxiety and depression in Kichwa-speaking adolescents, which may help to improve the care and treatment of these conditions in this population group.