Factor Structure of the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire does not Generalize to an Anxious/Depressed Sample
- 17 November 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
- Vol. 40 (11-12), 1016-1024
- https://doi.org/10.1080/j.1440-1614.2006.01926.x
Abstract
Objective: The tripartite model of anxiety and depression has been proposed as a representation of the structure of anxiety and depression symptoms. The Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire (MASQ) has been put forwards as a valid measure of the tripartite model of anxiety and depression symptoms. This research set out to examine the factor structure of anxiety and depression symptoms in a clinical sample to assess the MASQ's validity for use in this population. Method: The present study uses confirmatory factor analytic methods to examine the psychometric properties of the MASQ in 470 outpatients with anxiety and mood disorder. Results: The results showed that none of the previously reported two-factor, three-factor or five-factor models adequately fit the data, irrespective of whether items or subscales were used as the unit of analysis. Conclusion: It was concluded that the factor structure of the MASQ in a mixed anxiety/ depression clinical sample does not support a structure consistent with the tripartite model. This suggests that researchers using the MASQ with anxious/depressed individuals should be mindful of the instrument's psychometric limitations.Keywords
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