Psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the Maryland trait and state depression scale in young adults

BACKGROUND: The Maryland Trait and State Depression (MTSD) scale is a valuable instrument for examining the mechanism underlying state and trait depression. This study aimed to adapt the MTSD for Chinese populations (MTSD-C), which consists of a state depression subscale (MTSD-C-S) and a trait depression subscale (MTSD-C-T), and to evaluate its psychometric properties and measurement invariance among Chinese young adults. METHODS: We conducted two sub-studies involving 2141 young adults from universities and vocational colleges. In Study 1, 408 participants completed the preliminary MTSD-C to verify its factor structure and guide further revisions. In Study 2, 1733 participants completed the finalized MTSD-C along with additional measures for confirmatory factor analysis. Of these, 150 participants accepted the MTSD-C retest. We analyzed the factor structure, internal consistency, retest reliability and criterion validity, and assessed the measurement invariances across sex, education type (university vs. vocational college), household registration, and only-child status. RESULTS: Our results supported a three-factor structure (affective, cognitive, and somatic symptoms) in both the MTSD-C-S and MTSD-C-T, with good model fit. The two subscales demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, retest reliability, and criterion validity. Moreover, the factor structure was found to be equivalent across different sex, education type, household registration, and only-child status. CONCLUSIONS: The MTSD-C is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring state and trait depression among Chinese young adults, offering a promising tool for localized research and cross-cultural comparisons.