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Experimental Psychology (Russia)
2025. Vol. 18, no. 2, 220–235
doi:10.17759/exppsy.2025180213
ISSN: 2072-7593 / 2311-7036 (online)

Factor structure of the 6-item Kessler distress scale (K6) and its correlation with the HADS scale in patients with non-psychotic mental disorders

 
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Abstract

Objective. The aim of the present study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Russian version of the 6-item Kessler Distress Scale (K-6) and to compare it with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in patients with non-psychotic mental disorders. Methods and materials. The psychometric analysis was conducted on a sample of 328 patients with non-psychotic mental disorders, aged 18 to 85 years (M = 54.4 years; SD = 16.7 years). All study participants completed the Russian versions of the K-6 and HADS scales. The validity of the K-6 was assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results. Analyses indicated a two-factor structure of the scale, including anxiety and depression factors. The internal reliability of the Russian version of the K-6 scale was determined using McDonald's omega coefficient (ω), with values of ω = 0.88. The K-6 scale showed good convergent validity with the HADS scale. Conclusions. The Russian version of the K-6 has significant potential for use in clinical practice and research.

General Information

Keywords: psychometric analysis, distress, distress scales, emotional distress, perceived stress, psychological distress, validation

Journal rubric: Tools

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/exppsy.2025180213

Funding. The reported study was funded by ANO Moscow Center for Innovative Technologies in Healthcare, project number 0602-3/23.

Acknowledgements. The authors are grateful to S.B. Popova, E.A. Sviatskaya, Yu.E. Bryzgalova for assistance with data collection.

Received 30.01.2025

Revised 12.05.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Kustov, G.V., Isakulyan, E.L., Gersamia, A.G., Zinchuk, M.S., Guekht, A.B. (2025). Factor structure of the 6-item Kessler distress scale (K6) and its correlation with the HADS scale in patients with non-psychotic mental disorders. Experimental Psychology (Russia), 18(2), 220–235. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/exppsy.2025180213

© Kustov G.V., Isakulyan E.L., Gersamia A.G., Zinchuk M.S., Guekht A.B., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

George V. Kustov, Researcher, Crisis Suicidology Department, Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7755-1175, e-mail: gkustov84@yandex.ru

Elizaveta L. Isakulyan, Junior Researcher, Crisis Suicidology Department, Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0446-9699, e-mail: liza-78953@mail.ru

Anna G. Gersamia, Senior Researcher, Department of Cognitive Impairment Research, Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1972-9881, e-mail: aanna187@gmail.com

Mikhail S. Zinchuk, Candidate of Science (Medicine), Head of the Crisis Suicidology Department, Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2538-3314, e-mail: mzinchuk@mail.ru

Alla B. Guekht, Doctor of Medicine, Professor, Director, Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow Healthcare Department, Professor, Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5667-9617, e-mail: guekht@gmail.com

Contribution of the authors

Kustov G.V. — formal analysis; conducting research; data collection and analysis; visualization; drafting the
manuscript.

Isakulyan E.L. — drafting the manuscript; reviewing and editing.

Gersamia A.G. — providing resources; data curation; writing the manuscript — reviewing and editing; scientific supervision.

Zinchuk M.S. — research conceptualization and design; methodology development, data curation; writing
the manuscript — reviewing and editing.

Gekht A.B. — research planning and supervision; quality control of research execution; project administration.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest

Ethics statement

The study was reviewed and approved by the local Scientific Ethics Committee No. 69 (16.06.2023) of the
Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow Healthcare Departmen

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