Assessing the Factor Structure and Construct Validity of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) in a Korean Preschool Teacher Sample

Preschool teachers are at high risk of depression. Therefore, emphasis should be placed on evaluating a valid and reliable instrument to measure depressive symptomatology for this population. One such promising instrument is the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), a 21-item self-report measure designed to assess the presence and severity of depression. Although the tool’s psychometric properties have been analyzed in different samples, they have not been validated with a Korean preschool teacher sample. Hence, this study sought to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the BDI-II in a sample of Korean preschool teachers. The study participants comprised 252 Korean preschool teachers (243 women and 9 men) with an average age of 33.5 years (SD = 10.3, range = 21-59). The participants completed the Korean version of the BDI-II online. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine the psychometric properties of the BDI-II. Six models based on the literature were tested, including single-factor, correlated two- and three-factor, and bifactor models. The reliability and validity of the BDI-II were also analyzed. The bifactor model demonstrated the best data fit with an overarching vital general depression factor that coexists with comparatively weak specific cognitive, affective, and somatic factors. Internal consistency, measured using McDonald’s omega coefficients, was adequate in all cases. Using a validated screening instrument such as the BDI-II may allow clinicians to better detect depression among preschool teachers because of its conciseness and satisfactory psychometric properties. Since a bifactor model confirmed the unidimensionality of the BDI-II, the scores of specific factors should not be used in isolation. However, clinical assessment may benefit from its subscales if they are used in conjunction with total scores.