Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a widely used tool for assessing depressive symptoms. This study examined its psychometric properties in a sample of 1738 university students in Bogotá. METHODS: Instrumental study with a cross-sectional, single-center design with two-stage sampling. Exploratory and two-factor factorial analyses were applied, along with reliability estimates and subgroup analyses by gender and social stratum. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure (depressive affect, positive affect, and social aspects), which explained 56% of the total variance. The KMO index was 0.95, and Bartlett's sphericity test was significant (χ(2) = 17,902.82, df = 190, p < 0.001). The bifactor model showed a strong overall factor (hierarchical omega = 0.85; ECV = 0.71), supporting the use of a total score. Internal consistency was high (α = 0.93; ω = 0.94). Women scored significantly higher than men (p < 0.001). Differentiated cut-off points by sex are proposed: ≥ 52 for women and ≥ 45 for men. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the validity and reliability of the CES-D as a unidimensional measure of depressive symptoms in the Colombian university population and highlight its usefulness as a screening tool in public health settings, particularly within Latin American regional contexts where early detection of mental health problems is a priority.