Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version Post-Stroke Depression Scale: The Case of Neurology Outpatients in Rasht, North Iran

Psychiatrists use different scales to evaluate post-stroke depression; however, some concerns have raised about their low specificity.

This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Post-Stroke Depression Scale (PSDS) in Iran.

In this analytical cross-sectional study, 155 patients with stroke who were referred to neurology clinics in Rasht City, Iran, were interviewed by a psychiatric assistant (Gold Standard DSM-5 interview was used to separate the depressed from the non-depressed). The participants were then assessed by the PSDS and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). Moreover, a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve with the standard Gold DSM-5 interview was used to determine the ability of the scales and to categorize depression. Eventually, the data were analyzed in SPSS v. 19.

Data analysis indicates that the factor structure of HADS is one-dimensional, and exploratory and confirmatory analysis supported the fit for the one-factor model as the best fitting model. Bartlett test (The Chi-square=408.217, df=28, P<0.001) showed significant relationships between variables. The internal consistency of HADS was 0.638 for depression and 0.617 for anxiety. The test-retest reliability is equal to for 60 subjects were randomly re-evaluated within one to two weeks, reported that r=0.783, for anxiety and r=0.741 for depression. Finally, based on the ROC curve, the cut-off point of 9 was chosen, and the different severity of depression was distinguished by 9, 14, and 20.

The Persian version of PSDS possesses appropriate psychometric properties among the Iranian population.