The CES-D as a measure of depressive mood in the elderly Puerto Rican population.

The validity of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was assessed using a sample of 60 elderly Puerto Ricans in New York City, half of whom were diagnosed clinically as depressed. The scale has high internal consistency reliability, discriminates strongly between patients and nonpatients, and relates in the expected fashion to theoretically relevant variables. There is some evidence that scores are influenced by socially desirable responding (SDR) and that these effects should be considered when examining the correlates of the CES-D in this population. Scale scores do not differ by interviewer. Overall, the CES-D appears to be a useful measure for studying within-group variability in depressive mood among older Puerto Ricans.