Factorial and network structure of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS-2) in Peruvian adolescents

Depression in young people is considered a public health problem, given that it affects their personal, social, and academic lives; therefore, early detection of depressive symptoms is of importance for a favorable prognosis. This study aimed to estimate the psychometric properties of the second edition of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS-2) in Peruvian adolescents. The sample was composed of 917 Peruvian adolescents, aged 13 to 18 years (M = 15,241, SD = 1,020), who were selected from two public educational institutions in Metropolitan Lima. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the 25-item model with the four-dimensional structure and its overall and interdimensional reliability. This structure was found to be gender invariant. Finally, network analysis was performed to assess the relationships and centralities of the depressive symptoms of the validated version of the RADS-2. The results show that the RADS-2 measure is a consistent and reliable test that yields valid results in the Peruvian adolescent context.