- Title
- Measuring depression in deaf adults : Adaptation and validation of the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) for Auslan users
- Creator
- Lake, Shane
- Date
- 2018
- Type
- Text; Thesis; Masters
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/168455
- Identifier
- vital:13853
- Identifier
- https://library.federation.edu.au/record=b2787393
- Abstract
- There is limited research into the prevalence of depression in the deaf population. Results are inconsistent and research has been hampered by the use of measures not specifically designed for individuals who are deaf. Deaf adults, who use Australian sign language (Auslan) to communicate, may not have the spoken and written language skills in English that are required to understand standard psychological measures. The aim of this research was to adapt and validate a measure of depression, the 9 item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), for deaf Auslan users. Following established guidelines, an Auslan version of the PHQ-9, that was conceptually equivalent to the original measure, was produced. A community sample of 34 deaf adults, who use Auslan to communicate, and 278 hearing adults, were recruited from the Australian population. Deaf participants completed an Auslan online survey that included the Auslan version of the PHQ-9 and a previously adapted measure, an Auslan version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21-Auslan). Hearing participants completed a written English version of the online survey. The Auslan version of the PHQ-9 demonstrated good internal reliability. Concurrent validity was established using the DASS-21-Auslan, with significant correlations found between the two measures. Principal components analysis identified a single factor structure for the Auslan PHQ-9. Differential item functioning was examined using a parametric technique (ordinal logistic regression) and a non-parametric kernel smoothing technique (TestGraf). No evidence of item bias was found. This research has provided promising results for an Auslan version of the PHQ-9 as a culturally appropriate measure for Auslan users. The Auslan PHQ-9 has the potential to provide mental health practitioners and researchers with a more accurate method of assessing and monitoring depression and depressive symptoms in deaf adults who are Auslan users.; Masters by Research
- Publisher
- Federation University Australia
- Rights
- Copyright Shane Lake
- Rights
- Open Access
- Rights
- This metadata is freely available under a CCO license
- Subject
- Depression; Deaf; Adults; Auslan
- Full Text
- Thesis Supervisor
- McLaren, Suzanne
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