Latent structure and measurement invariance of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in cancer outpatients

The aim of the present study was to compare competing psychometric models and analyze measurement invariance of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in cancer outpatients. The sample included 3,260 cancer outpatients. Latent structure of the HADS was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with robust maximum likelihood estimation (MLR). Measurement invariance was tested for age, time of response, gender, and cancer type by comparing nested multigroup CFA models with parameter restrictions. Except for the one-factor solutions, all models showed acceptable model fit and measurement invariance. The model with the best fit was the originally proposed two-factor model with exclusion of two items. The one-factor solutions showed inacceptable model fit and were not invariant for age and gender. The HADS has a robust two-factor structure in cancer outpatients. We recommend excluding item 7 and 10 when screening for anxiety and depression.