LAUSR

Screening for anxiety and depression is essential for treatment. Participants aged 30 years and above (n = 290) were screened for anxiety and depression using the HSCL-25-Arabic in Lebanon. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine the best fit of the data. Five models were tested: (1) the tripartite model including five correlated factors: two related to anxiety, two to depression and a mixed factor describing general distress, (2) the tripartite model considering no correlation between anxiety and depression, (3) the original two-factor model assuming an association between depression and anxiety; (4) the two-factor model considering no correlation between factors; (5) the bifactor model including anxiety and depression, and a general factor underlying all items assuming no association between the three. The bi-factor model showed the best fit followed by the two-factor model. The HSCL-25-Arabic discerns symptoms of anxiety and depression as distinct with a general factor underlying all items.