Depresión

The objective of the study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in Ecuadorian elderly, focusing on invariance by sex. A cross-sectional sample of Ecuadorian elderly was used and analyzes of validity, reliability and invariance by sex of the scale were carried out. The results showed that the CES-D proved to be a valid and reliable tool for measuring depression in this population, with adequate internal consistency and significant evidence of concurrent validity. Furthermore, the factor structure and measurement levels of the CES-D were consistent between older men and women, suggesting that the scale is equally applicable and reliable for both sexes. These findings support the usefulness of the CES-D as a depression screening tool in the elderly Ecuadorian population, which may facilitate early detection and intervention in geriatric care.