Replication of a two-factor model of the Beck Depression inventory in alcohol dependents and suicide attempters

The factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is still controversial. The present study attempted to replicate a general two-factor model (cognitive-affective and somatic factors) of the BDI with a confirmatory Procrustes rotation procedure in two clinical samples of patients being treated for alcohol dependence (N1 = 243, N2 = 148) and one clinical sample of patients admitted to an acute psychiatric ward because of an act of deliberate self-harm (N3 = 144). In addition, due to the neglect of gender-specific analysis in factor-analytic studies of the BDI, the two-factor model was tested for males and females separately. The results did not support the validity of the two-factor model in the total samples. Gender-specific findings indicated a better fit of the model in male samples. Possible implications of a gender-specific factor structure of the BDI are discussed.