Validity and reliability of the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) in family caregivers of children with chronic diseases

BACKGROUND: Information on the psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) in family caregivers of children with chronic diseases is currently unavailable, indicating a significant gap in the literature. Therefore, we investigated 1) which of the five evaluated measurement models had the best fit, 2) the scale’s reliability, and 3) the scale’s convergent validity. METHODS: In 2018, a cross-sectional ex post facto study with non-probability convenience sampling was conducted in 446 family caregivers of children with chronic diseases at the National Institute of Health in Mexico City; the family caregivers responded to the BDI-II and a battery of instruments measuring anxiety, caregiver burden, parental stress, well-being, and quality of life. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to determine the fit of the five models. Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability were calculated to assess the scale’s reliability, and Spearman´s rank correlation was used to investigate the scale’s convergent validity. RESULTS: This study provided evidence that the two-factor somatic-affective and cognitive model had the best fit. The BDI-II demonstrated adequate reliability and evidence of convergent validity, as the BDI-II factors were positively correlated with anxiety, caregiver burden, and parental stress and negatively correlated with well-being and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The findings reveal that the BDI-II is a valid, reliable, and culturally relevant instrument to measure depression in family caregivers of children with chronic diseases.