Psychometric properties of the DSM scale for depression (DSD) with Korean-American youths.

As a first step in developing a reliable and culturally sensitive instrument to assess depression in Korean-American youths, this community-based methodological study was designed to evaluate the characteristics of the DSM Scale for Depression (DSD). A total of 104 Korean Americans, 11 to 13 years, participated in this study, and the response patterns of this group were compared with Korean- (n = 20) and Anglo- (n = 557) American youths assessed by the Teen Life Changes Survey (TLCS). Overall, Korean-American youths showed significantly higher mental distress scores than Anglos. The DSD was found to be a culturally appropriate instrument for Korean Americans with good reliability (alpha =.92) and validity demonstrated by correlating with related constructs (loneliness, self-esteem, coping, social support, mastery, and somatic symptoms). The highest correlation coefficient was observed between depression and somatic symptoms (r =.61). These findings are informative for the design of further studies of mental health of Korean-American youths.