Measuring depressive symptomatology in China.

A study was conducted on a representative sample of 1000 residents in Tianjin, China to construct a scale of depressive symptoms. From items and criteria developed in the West and statements and expressions understood by the Chinese, a set of 26 statements was formulated. After a series of psychometric (reliability and validity) analyses, it was proposed that a set of 22 items form the Chinese Depressive Symptom Scale (CDS-22) and that a subset of 16 items (CDS-16) constitute the abbreviated version. Comparisons of the levels and patterns of symptomatology in China as measured by such scales with those found in the United States show considerable similarities.