Screening psychological symptoms in Filipino university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Translation and structural validation of the Filipino version of the DASS-21

Culturally appropriate tools are necessary to aid in objective screening for psychological symptoms among students in university settings. This study aimed to translate and validate the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). The instrument underwent forward translation and was reviewed by representatives from the target population, field experts, and an external auditor. The translated version of the DASS-21, together with the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form (I-PANAS-SF), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), was administered to 681 university students. Through confirmatory factor analysis, results supported the intercorrelated three-factor model with correlated errors for the DASS-21 Filipino. Results also demonstrated the criterion validity of the depression and anxiety subscales through significant correlations with PHQ-9 and GAD-7, respectively, and a stringent z-score test to examine the difference between two dependent correlations with one variable in common. The convergent validity of all three subscales was established through significant correlations with I-PANAS-SF and SWLS. All DASS-21 Filipino subscales which includes depression (alpha = .89), anxiety (alpha = .84), and stress (alpha = .85), showed high internal consistency. The current findings offer initial evidence on the structural validity of the DASS-21 Filipino, which can be utilized as a tool to screen for depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among Filipino speakers during a global health crisis. Implications for psychological assessment and school and clinical interventions are discussed. The original DASS-21 was translated to Filipino to objectively measure depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among university students in the Philippines. The DASS-21 Filipino confirmed the correlated three-factor structure of the original DASS-21. The DASS-21 Filipino also showed convergent and criterion validity and item reliability.