Psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) in Spanish college students

The main objective of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, in its 21-item version (DASS-21), in a sample of Spanish college students. The sample was composed of 759 participants (532 females), with a mean age of 19.63 years (SD = 2.03). Results showed that the levels of internal consistency for the subscales of the DASS-21 ranged from 0.73 to 0.81. With respect to the internal structure of the DASS- 21, the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the three-factor model, composed by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress factors, was the one with the best fit indices in comparison to the remaining competent models. No item in the DASS-21 presented differences in functioning due to gender of participants. Likewise, statistically significant differences were found due to gender between mean scores in the Stress subscale. Consistent with previous literature, the DASS-21 seems to be a useful and brief assessment instrument, of rapid administration and adequate psychometric properties for the assessment of depression, anxiety and stress in nonclinical populations.