Validity and measurement invariance by gender of the DASS-9 in El Salvador

Lobos-Rivera M.E.; Gallegos M. · Gaceta Medica de Caracas (2026) · DOI: 10.47307/gmc.2026.134.s2.27

Resumen

Background: Depression, anxiety, and stress continue to be topics of significant interest in both academia and public health due to their high global prevalence. In this context, psychometrics has intensified efforts to develop increasingly efficient tools for detecting emotional symptoms. Both psychological research and clinical practice require instruments that enable efficient and accurate measurement of these psychological constructs, thereby reducing administration time and improving performance during psychological assessments. Objective: To confirm the psychometric properties of the DASS-9 in a Salvadoran sample, specifically with respect to construct validity, gender invariance, and reliability. Materials and methods. The study employed an instrumental, cross-sectional design. Purposive non-probability sampling was used, resulting in 1 212 complete questionnaires. Results: The participants included 698 women (57,6 %) and 514 men (42,4 %), with a mean age of approximately 27 years. The findings indicated that the scale demonstrates adequate psychometric properties in the Salvadoran context. Additionally, a scoring guide is proposed to interpret responses on the scale. Conclusions: It is concluded that the DASS-9 is an effective instrument for assessing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in El Salvador.

Instituciones: Universidad Continental