Development and Validation of the Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale for Adults (VFS-A)

• Published in: Psychological assessment 2021-08, Vol.33 (8), p.777-788
• Main Authors: Hornsby, Benjamin W. Y., Camarata, Stephen, Cho, Sun-Joo, Davis, Hilary, McGarrigle, Ronan, Bess, Fred H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Fatigue; Fatigue - diagnosis; Female; Foreign Language Learning; Health Status; Hearing Loss; Human; Humans; Intervention; Item Response Theory; Male; Psychometrics; Quantitative psychology; Reproducibility of Results; Surveys and Questionnaires; Test Construction; Test Items; Test Reliability; Test Validity
• ISSN: 1040-3590; 1939-134X
• DOI: 10.1037/pas0001021

Listening-related fatigue can be a significant burden for adults with hearing loss (AHL), and potentially those with other health or language-related issues (e.g., multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, second language learners) who must allocate substantial cognitive resources to the process of listening. The 40-item Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale for Adults (VFS-A-40) was designed to measure listening-related fatigue in such populations. This article describes the development, and psychometric properties, of the VFS-A-40. Initial qualitative analyses in AHL suggested listening-related fatigue was multidimensional, with physical, mental, emotional, and social domains. However, exploratory factor analyses revealed a unidimensional structure. Item and test characteristics were evaluated using Item Response Theory (IRT). Results confirmed that all test items were of high quality. IRT analyses revealed high marginal reliability and an analysis of test-retest scores revealed adequate reliability. In addition, an analysis of differential item functioning provided evidence of good construct validity across age, gender, and hearing loss groups. In sum, the VFS-A-40 is a reliable and valid tool for quantifying listening-related fatigue in adults. We believe the VFS-A-40 will be useful for identifying those most at risk for severe listening-related fatigue and for assessing interventions to reduce its negative effects. Public Significance Statement Listening-related fatigue can negatively affect people with a wide range of health conditions, including hearing loss. A reliable and valid assessment method is required to identify those with moderate-to-severe fatigue who may need interventions, and to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of any such interventions. The 40-item Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale for Adults (VFS-A-40) was developed to fill these needs.