Gender-related measurement invariance on the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) for global mental distress with older adults in Puerto Rico

We favored the unidimensional model. First, the SRQ-20 was designed to assess global distress. Also, physical symptoms have both somatic and psychological components, so their co-occurrence makes a single-factor model more meaningful. Finally, since older adults experience more physical health problems, instruments that emphasize both types of distress may provide a more accurate measure than those that exclude somatic symptoms. Using the unidimensional model, the SRQ-20 was not invariant, meaning that it performed differently for male and female participants. Future studies of common mental disorders with older adults in Puerto Rico should consider using the SRQ-20 for research and practice and should determine appropriate threshold scores for men and women.