Factor Structure of the Beck Depression Inventory—II in a Medical Outpatient Sample

This study examined the factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory—II (BDI-II) in a sample of 127 individuals referred by their primary care physicians. Using exploratory factor analysis with oblique rotation, a 2-factor model appeared to be the most parsimonious representation of the data. The rotated factors accounted for approximately 53% of the variance. Consistent with previous research, the first factor was interpreted as a somatic–affective dimension and the second factor reflected a cognitive dimension. The correlation between these 2 factors was .79. It appears possible to divide the BDI-II into subscales to facilitate interpretation in medical patients.