Supporting routine cognitive reactivity assessment in the perinatal period: psychometric testing of the Chinese version of the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity

Background: Finding optimal forms to recognize perinatal depression and its vulnerable factors and making them more applicable to depression screening is critical. This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of he Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity (LEIDS-RR) among perinatal women in China and determine cut-off values for screening high-risk depression. Methods In the third trimester of pregnancy and at six-weeks postpartum, women completed the LEIDS-RR-CV and a diagnostic reference standard online. We assessed the LEIDS-RR-CV using classical test theory and item response theory (IRT). The test performance for cut-off scores to screen for high-risk depression at each time point was assessed using receiver operator characteristic analysis. Results In total, 396 (third trimester) and 321 (six-weeks postpartum) women participated. Cronbach’s alpha, two-week test-retest reliability, and marginal reliability for the scale were all greater than 0.8. It showed a five-factor model, and the cut-off values were 58 (third trimester) and 60 (six-weeks postpartum). The areas under the curve were acceptable (≥ 0.7), and the LEIDS-RR-CV was positively correlated with the total Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score (r = 0.52 and 0.56, p  = 0.00), indicating its predictive validity. IRT analysis confirmed its discriminative validity. Conclusions The LEIDS-RR-CV was shown to be reliable, valid, and can be used to quantify cognitive reactivity in perinatal Chinese women and for screening for high-risk depression during this period.