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Depression

Extending the Male Depression Risk Scale for use with older men: the effect of age on factor structure and associations with psychological distress and history of depression

, , &
Pages 1524-1532 | Received 22 Jan 2021, Accepted 15 Jun 2021, Published online: 21 Jul 2021
 

Abstract

Objectives

The Male Depression Risk Scale (MDRS-22) is a self-report scale that assesses externalising and male-typical depression symptoms with promising psychometric properties reported in young-to-middle aged men. However, studies are yet to consider the psychometric properties of the MDRS-22 in older men. This study examined the psychometric properties of the MDRS-22 in both younger and older males and its relationship to prototypic depression symptoms and self-reported depression history.

Method

A community sample of younger (n = 510; 18–64 years) and older (n = 439; 65–93 years) males completed the original 82 MDRS items from which the MDRS-22 was derived, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and provided information regarding previous depression diagnoses. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine factor structure. Generalised linear models examined the relationship between externalised and male-typical symptoms with prototypic depression symptoms in younger and older men.

Results

Model fit indices demonstrated that the MDRS-22 performs well in older males. Results also revealed that the MDRS-22 is associated with prototypic depression symptoms and a previous depression diagnosis in both age groups.

Conclusion

Results support the psychometric validity of the MDRS-22 as a measure of externalising and male-typical depression symptoms in older men. Use of scales such as the MDRS-22 may help to improve the detection of depression in men across the lifespan and may also identify factors that put men at risk of poor physical and mental health outcomes.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all participants for contributing to this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Authors’ contributions

D.H., S.R., L.W., and I.Z. developed the study concept. D.H. and I.Z. performed the data analyses. D.H. drafted the paper and S.R., L.W., and I.Z. provided critical revisions. All authors approved the final version of the paper for submission.

Additional information

Funding

This research is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and a CSIRO Supplementary Scholarship. These funding bodies had no influence on the design of the study and collection, analysis, or interpretation of data or in writing the manuscript.

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