Multi-Component Fatigue Scale

Last Updated

August 14, 2014

Purpose

The Multi-Component Fatigue Scale measures perceived fatigue across two domains, cognitive fatigue and physical fatigue.

Acronym MFS

Assessment Type

Patient Reported Outcomes

Administration Mode

Paper & Pencil

Cost

Not Free

Cost Description

Cost unknown

Diagnosis/Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis

The Multi-Component Fatigue Scale has two subscales: the Cognitive Fatigue Scale (7 items) and the Physical Fatigue Scale (8 items). Each item is answered on a scale of 1 (“not at all”) to 5 (“a great deal”).

At follow-up, questions are altered slightly so that the PWMS rates the perceived change compared to a previous rating. The authors provide an example where the baseline question of “Do you currently have problems concentrating?” changes to “Compared to your first rating, are you having trouble concentrating?” Change scores range from 1 (much less) to 5 (much more). A score of 3 indicates “no change”.

Number of Items

Questionnaire

5 minutes

Required Training

No Training

Instrument Reviewers

Initially reviewed by Evan Cohen PT, MA, PhD, NCS in 2011

ICF Domain

Body Structure
Body Function
Activity
Participation

Measurement Domain

Activities of Daily Living

Professional Association Recommendation

Recommendations for use of the instrument from the Neurology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Multiple Sclerosis Taskforce (MSEDGE), Parkinson’s Taskforce (PD EDGE), Spinal Cord Injury Taskforce (PD EDGE), Stroke Taskforce (StrokEDGE), Traumatic Brain Injury Taskforce (TBI EDGE), and Vestibular Taskforce (Vestibular EDGE) are listed below. These recommendations were developed by a panel of research and clinical experts using a modified Delphi process.

For detailed information about how recommendations were made, please visit: http://www.neuropt.org/go/healthcare-professionals/neurology-section-outcome-measures-recommendations

Abbreviations:
HR	Highly Recommend
R	Recommend
*LS / UR*	Reasonable to use, but limited study in target group / Unable to Recommend
NR	Not Recommended

Recommendations based on level of care in which the assessment is taken:

Acute Care

Inpatient Rehabilitation

Skilled Nursing Facility

Outpatient

Rehabilitation

Home Health

MS EDGE

Recommendations based on EDSS Classification:

	EDSS 0.0 – 3.5	EDSS 4.0 – 5.5	EDSS 6.0 – 7.5	EDSS 8.0 – 9.5
MS EDGE	NR	NR	NR	NR

Recommendations for entry-level physical therapy education and use in research:

	Students should learn to administer this tool? (Y/N)	Students should be exposed to tool? (Y/N)	Appropriate for use in intervention research studies? (Y/N)	Is additional research warranted for this tool (Y/N)
MS EDGE	No	No	No	No

Considerations

The MFS is a measure of perceived fatigue across two domains. There is no description of how the questions in the scale were developed and no validity testing. Further research on the MFS is required to determine its usefulness for research and practice.

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Construct Validity

Multiple Sclerosis:

(Paul, Beatty, & Schneider, 1998; n = 58 (39 patients with clinically definite MS and 19 matched healthy control participants))

PWMS scored greater at baseline on the physical fatigue subscale (2.65 +/- 1.24) than did controls (1.49 +/- 0.56)
PWMS scored greater at baseline on the cognitive fatigue subscale (2.56 +/- 1.07) than did controls (1.6 +/- 0.67)
The MFS was not able to differentiate cognitive fatigue from physical fatigue

Responsiveness