Analysis of Psychometric Properties of Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) in the Indian Context

The study aimed to validate the “Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10)” within the Indian context. The investigation involved administering the K-10 to a community sample of 679 undergraduate students, comprising 473 females (67.12%) and 206 males (32.86%), aged 19 to 22 years, from diverse government and private colleges/universities. The sample was divided into two sets: the first set of 340 students was subjected to an “Exploratory Factor Analysis” while the second set of 339 students underwent a “Confirmatory Factor Analysis”. The model's fit to the observed data was evaluated using maximum likelihood estimation techniques. Additionally, Cronbach's alpha was computed to assess the scale's internal consistency. The results affirmed the validity and reliability of the “K-10 Psychological Distress Scale” for measuring psychological distress among Indian undergraduate students.