The Beck Hopelessness Scale was applied in a sample of 971 male and female students, chosen at random sampling from Mexico City, with an average age of 16.75 years. Results were compared to those reported by Beck, Weissman, Lester and Trexler (1974). Results showed adequate reliability (≥ 0.70) in the total sample by gender. Factorial structure matched only in the Affective factor as reported by Beck et al. (1974) with respect to the total sample. Differences in saturation and factorial structure in both sexes were observed. It was concluded that the factor structure of Beck Hopelessness Scale registers different factor structure in the total sample, according to sex. / En una muestra de 971 estudiantes de ambos sexos elegidos en forma aleatoria de la ciudad de México con un promedio de edad de 16.75 anos, se aplicó la Escala de Desesperanza de Beck. Se calculo la consistencia interna y la estructura factorial con el procedimiento reportado por Beck, Weissman, Lester y Trexler (1974) en muestra total y por sexo. Los resultados indicaron confiabilidad adecuada (≥ .70) en la muestra total y por sexo, estructura factorial coincidente solo en el factor Afectivo en la muestra total, y diferencias de saturación y de estructura factorial en ambos sexos. Se concluyo que la Escala de Desesperanza de Beck registra diferente estructura factorial en muestra total y de acuerdo con el sexo.