Factor structure and measurement invariance of the 8-item CES-D: a national longitudinal sample of Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND: The 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 8) has been widely used to measure depressive symptoms in many large-scale surveys. Due to its brevity, it can lower costs, relieve respondent burdens, and ensure data quality. However, its factor structure and measurement invariance across gender and time among adolescents have not been adequately evaluated. This study investigated its factor structure and measurement invariance across gender and time among adolescents. METHODS: The data was drawn from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) conducted in 2018 and 2020, with 3099 participants (46.82% girls) aged 11 to 18 in 2018. First, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the factor structure of the CES-D 8. Next, multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test its measurement invariance across gender and time. Finally, a longitudinal cross-gender test was conducted to further confirm the stability of the scale. RESULTS: A two-factor structure was identified among the adolescents, including Negative Symptoms and Diminished Happiness Feeling. Measurement invariance across gender and time, as well as the longitudinal cross-gender invariance, was supported, with configural, factor loadings, thresholds and residual invariance. CONCLUSIONS: The factor structure of the CES-D 8 remains stable across gender and time among adolescents, indicating that it is a promising instrument for measuring depressive symptoms, especially in large-scale and longitudinal surveys. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12888-023-05316-4.