PSYCHOMETRIC EVALUATION OF THE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS SCALE (DASS-21) IN PERUVIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Cirilo-Acero I.; Aguirre-Morales M.; Franco-Mendoza J.M.; Tantalean-Terrones L.J.; Livia-Segovia J. · Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Publica (2025) · DOI: 10.17843/rpmesp.2025.423.14209

Resumen

Objectives. To evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS21) in university students from Lima, Peru. Materials and methods. An instrumental study was conducted with 1163 students from a public university, in which the validity and reliability of the DASS-21 were evaluated in accordance with international standards. Results. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed with a first three-factor model (χ²=706.5; df=186; CFI=0.986; TLI=0.985; RMSEA=0.049; SRMR=0.057) and a second-order model (χ²=706.5; df=186; CFI=0.986; TLI=0.985; RMSEA=0.049; SRMR=0.057), both of which reported expected fit measures. Furthermore, associations with other measures were established, such as positive mental health (r >-0.49), with results showing inverse and statistically significant moderate correlations. Metric invariance measures based on sex were also calculated. The reliability coefficients— omega, ordinal alpha, and Guttman—reached values greater than 0.90 as expected. Conclusions. The DASS-21 showed evidence of validity based on internal structure, concurrent and discriminant criterion validity, and reliability through internal consistency. It was also invariant across men and women.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal