Translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the Geriatric Depression Scale – Short Form into Bengali among elderly people in Bangladesh

Depression is a major health concern among the elderly, affecting their quality of life. The Geriatric Depression Scale - Short Form (GDS-15) is commonly used to screen for depression in older adults. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the GDS-15 into Bengali for use among elderly people in Bangladesh. The GDS-15 was translated into Bengali, followed by cultural adaptation. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 elderly participants aged 60 years, and above in Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Psychometric validation was performed using reliability testing, chi-square analysis, ANOVA, and principal component analysis (PCA). The Bengali version of the GDS-15 demonstrated strong construct validity, with significant correlations between the original and translated versions of the items (r = 0.9788, p < 0.001). However, reliability analysis showed a low Cronbach's alpha (0.4753), indicating suboptimal internal consistency. The PCA revealed multiple components, suggesting the multidimensionality of the scale in this population. The Bengali GDS-15 showed low internal consistency which warrants the need for further cultural refinement and psychometric validation before routine use among the population. However, the Bengali GDS-15 has the potential to serve as a useful screening tool for geriatric depression in Bangladesh with further improvements.