Factor Analysis of the Kokoro Check Sheet (KCS) Newly Developed Questionnaire for Depression Screening

• Published in: The Kitakanto Medical Journal Vol. 59; no. 3; pp. 231 - 240
• Main Authors: Nakazawa, Minato, Yamaguchi, Miho, Mitsuhashi, Michiyo, Yamazaki, Ciho, Onda, Rinko, Murayama, Yuri, Koyama, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Kitakanto Medical Society 01.09.2009
• Subjects: depression; factor analysis; industry hygiene; life stress; THI
• ISSN: 1343-2826; 1881-1191
• DOI: 10.2974/kmj.59.231

Background and Objective : Depressed affect is thought to be influenced not only by workplace stress but also by various socio-environmental conditions. The relationships between depressed affect and such factors are expected to differ by gender. Subjects and Methods : We applied the KCS to the 649 workers. A total of 595 (91.7%) replied, and among them a total of 574 (96.5%) completed the questionnaire. By performing a factor analysis, we compared the factor structures of males and females. Results : In the exploratory factor analysis, five factors were estimated with a significant eigenvalue of at least 1 in both males and females.12 items asking depressive affect showed high factor loadings on the first factor of males (depressive affect), while these items were mostly explained by two distinct factors of females, the first factor (emptiness) and the second factor (personal devaluation). And only in males, the item relating to stress at their workplace had a somewhat high factor loading on the depressive affect factor. Conclusion : There is a relationship between depressive affect and stress at their workplace only in males. Only in females depressive affect is explained by two types of depressive mood, with emptiness and with personal devaluation.