Minority interest
Because of its use in quite a lot of ME/CFS research (including a lot of CBT and GET studies) I thought there might be somebody who was interested in this. I have read it myself as of yet.
Free full text: https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/fi...gue_CFA_final_submitted_MS_JUNE_2015_v4_.docx
Because of its use in quite a lot of ME/CFS research (including a lot of CBT and GET studies) I thought there might be somebody who was interested in this. I have read it myself as of yet.
Free full text: https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/fi...gue_CFA_final_submitted_MS_JUNE_2015_v4_.docx
ACCEPTED VERSION-Proof copy
The Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire is a valid and reliable measure of perceived fatigue severity in multiple sclerosis
Joseph Chilcot1, Sam Norton1, Maedhbh Etain Kelly2, Rona Moss-Morris1
1Health Psychology Section, Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, UK
2 Department of Psychosis Studies, PO63, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
Correspondence: Rona Moss-Morris (rona.moss-morris@kcl.ac.uk)
Health Psychology Section, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience King’s College London, 5th floor Bermondsey Wing, Guy’s Hospital Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 9RT
Key words: Chalder fatigue questionnaire; Chalder fatigue scale; fatigue; multiple sclerosis; MS; psychometrics; measurement; confirmatory factor analysis
Conflict of interest: None declared
Abstract
Background: Fatigue is one of the most distressing symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Measuring MS fatigue poses a number of challenges. Many measures confound definitions of severity and impact of fatigue and/or lack psychometric validation in MS.
Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of an 11 item fatigue severity measure, the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ) in MS including validity of the factor structure, internal reliability, discriminant validity, and sensitivity to change.
Methods: Data was pooled from four previous studies investigating MS-fatigue using the CFQ (n=444). Data analysis included confirmatory factor analysis to determine the factor structure and model fit, correlations to assess discriminant validity, and effects sizes to determine sensitivity to change.
Results: A bi-factor model with one general fatigue factor, incorporating 2 smaller group factors (mental and physical fatigue) had good model fit and appeared the most appropriate factor structure underlying the CFQ scale. The CFQ had high internal consistency, showed small to moderate correlations with impact of fatigue and mood, and was sensitive to change across low and high intensity behavioural interventions.
Conclusions: The CFQ measuring a composite of physical and mental fatigue severity (i.e. a total score) is a psychometrically sound measure of fatigue severity in MS.