Psychometric Properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire in Peruvian Adolescents: An Approach from Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory

Depression in adolescents is a public health problem that needs to be addressed due to its serious consequences for mental and physical health; therefore, it is necessary for health professionals to have instruments with evidence of validity and reliability. The aim of this study was to identify the psychometric properties of the phq-9 in Peruvian adolescents. The sample consisted of 687 adolescents, of whom 366 were males (M = 15.21; SD = 0.92) and 321 females (M = 15.22; SD = 0.94). Analyses were carried out using classical test theory and item response theory. The results supported a unidimensional structure invariant between males and females’ adolescents and with adequate reliability. In addition, the items were able to distinguish between the responses of adolescents with higher or lower presence of depressive symptomatology, especially items 2, 6, and 9. It is concluded that the phq-9 is a robust instrument for use in research and professional practice contexts.