Evaluation of four highly cited energy and fatigue mood measures

Abstract

This paper evaluates four highly cited measures of energy and fatigue moods. Substantial experimental and correlational evidence supports the conclusion that scores from the vitality scale of the SF-36 Health Survey can provide a valid measure of the recalled frequency of month-long feelings of energy and fatigue. Substantial experimental and correlational evidence supports the conclusion that scores from the fatigue and vigor scales of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) can provide reliable and valid measures the intensity of both week-long and "right now" fatigue and energy mood states, respectively. A smaller body of evidence supports the conclusion that scores from the energy scale of the Activation-Deactivation Adjective Checklist (AD-ACL) can provide a valid measure of the "right now" mood of energy; however, the energy scale of the AD-ACL has several limitations compared to the POMS vigor scale. All the measures lacked integration within a compelling theory of the mood of energy-fatigue. It is concluded that progress in understanding of energy and fatigue mood states will be aided by advances in both the psychobiological conceptualization of fatigue and energy mood states and their measurement.