A Psychometric Evaluation of the STAI-Y, BDI-II, and PAI Using Single and Multifactorial Models in Young Adults Seeking Psychoeducational Evaluation

A psychometric evaluation on the measurement of self-report anxiety and depression using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Form-Y (STAI-Y), and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) was performed using a sample of 534 generally young adults seeking psychoeducational evaluation at a university-based clinic. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate single-factor and multifactorial models (including hierarchical and higher-order models). Fit indices indicated superiority of the hierarchical model where the BDI-II and PAI depression subscales loaded onto a depression factor, the PAI anxiety subscales loaded onto an anxiety factor, and the STAI-Y State and Trait scale scores loaded onto a separate factor that indexed variance associated with both depression and anxiety. Findings are discussed in regards to the construct validity of the BDI-II, STAI-Y, and PAI in young adults seeking psychoeducational evaluation and relations among these measures.