A Re-Examination of the Structure of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales for Youth (DASS-Y)

Abstract: Evidence on the structure of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales for Youth (DASS-Y) is both limited and equivocal, hindering the use and interpretation of the scale scores. The present study aimed to re-examine the factor structure of the DASS-Y using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and bifactor-ESEM frameworks and to investigate whether the structure of DASS-Y responses varies by country and educational stage. Convergent validity evidence was also evaluated through associations with externalizing problems, bullying victimization, and subjective well-being scores. We recruited three samples: Serbian early adolescents ( n = 412; age range = 11–14 years), Australian early adolescents ( n = 616; age range = 11–14 years), and Serbian middle-to-late adolescents ( n = 595; age range = 15–19 years). Both the ESEM model, allowing cross-loadings, and the bifactor-ESEM model, incorporating cross-loadings and a general distress factor, yielded meaningful solutions for the DASS-Y responses. Evidence supported the measurement invariance of both models across countries and educational stages. We conclude that more complex solutions beyond the standard three-factor model should be considered when testing the structure of DASS-Y responses.