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Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale: Factor structure, item analyses and internal consistency in a large population

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Arnstein Mykletun*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen
Eystein Stordal
Affiliation:
Namdal Hospital, Namsos
Alv A. Dahl
Affiliation:
Research Unit, Aker Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
*
Alv A. Dahl, Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Aker Hospital, University of Oslo, Sognsvannsveien 21, 0320 Oslo, Norway. Tel: +47 22923400; fax: +47 22923971; e-mail: a.a.dahl@psykiatri.uio.no
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Abstract

Background

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) rating scale is a commonly used questionnaire. Former studies have given inconsistent results as to the psychometric properties of the HAD scale.

Aims

To examine the psychometric properties of the HAD scale in a large population.

Method

All inhabitants aged 20–89 years (n=92 100) were invited to take part in The Nord-Tr⊘ndelag Health Study, Norway. A total of 65 648 subjects participated, and only completed HAD scale forms (n=51 930) formed the basis for the psychometric examinations.

Results

Principal component analysis extracted two factors in the HAD scale that accounted for 57% of the variance. The anxiety and depression sub-scales shared 30% of the variance. Both sub-scales were found to be internally consistent, with values of Cronbach's coefficient (a) being 0.80 and 0.76, respectively.

Conclusions

Based on data from a large population, the basic psychometric properties of the HAD scale as a self-rating instrument should be considered as quite good in terms of factor structure, intercorrelation, homogeneity and internal consistency.

Information

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 
Figure 0

Table 1Principal component analysis of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale

Figure 1

Table 2Principal component analysis of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale for men and women and for randomly selected split halves of total material

Figure 2

Table 3The Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale item numbers and texts

Figure 3

Table 4Internal consistency of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale sub-scales using Cronbach's α

Figure 4

Table 5Factor structure of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale in different studies

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