Creation and Validation of the Filipino Student Depression Inventory

Depression studies in the Philippines generally utilize inventories created for, and standardized in, western countries. Western assessments may not accurately measure the unique factors and elements which lead to depression among Filipinos, yet few other options are readily available. In response to recent calls for indigenous assessments, we created the Filipino Student Depression Inventory (FSDI) and conducted a pilot study (N=102) among native Filipino undergraduate students attending an American university. Through factor analysis, the FSDI measures four specific subcategories relevant to Filipino culture: familial connectedness, discomfort with self and others, academic performance, and familial finances. Our study identified that the FSDI demonstrated sufficient reliability, as shown by Cronbach's Alpha =.89, Test-retest Pearson's r=.88, and Spearman Brown r=.87. We also demonstrated sufficient construct validity with the University Student Depression Inventory r=.87, a high level of discriminant validity with self-ratings r=.83, and self-report confirmation through a clinical interview. It is hoped that the FSDI will provide a more culturally accurate measure for identifying depression among Filipino students.