French Validation of the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale: Psychometric Properties of Digital and Paper Formats

Abstract

Introduction: Anhedonia, the diminished ability to experience pleasure, is a transdiagnostic symptom in several neuropsychiatric disorders. To comprehensively assess this symptom, the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) measures interest, motivation, effort, and consummatory pleasure across four reward types. Aim: Using three independent samples, we aimed to validate the French version of the DARS and evaluate its psychometric properties across digital (Samples 1 and 2) and paper-based (Sample 3) formats. Methods: A total of 1,437 French-speaking participants from the general population completed the DARS alongside measures of anhedonia, depression, and behavioral inhibition/activation. Results: Factor analyses confirmed the four-factor structure of the DARS with excellent model fit indices (CFI ≥ .962, RMSEA ≤ .036) and strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .74–.93) across both formats. The French DARS showed good convergent validity, with weak-to-moderate correlations with other anhedonia and behavioral activation measures, and strong divergent validity, with weak correlations with depression. Measurement invariance across gender was established. Gender differences were found; women scored higher overall, while men scored higher on the hobbies subscale. Measurement invariance analyses supported configural and metric invariance across formats, though full invariance was not achieved due to a lack of scalar invariance. Discussion/conclusion: These findings support the French DARS as a reliable and valid tool for assessing anhedonia.