Psychometric properties of a revised version of the Visual Analog Mood Scales

Objective: To assess the internal consistency, validity and factor structure of a revised version of the Visual Analog Mood Scales (VAMS-R) in healthy older adults and aphasic stroke patients. Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: Fifty healthy older people and 71 aphasic stroke patients. Setting: Community and hospital. Measures: The healthy participants were asked to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the VAMS-R. The aphasic stroke patients completed the VAMS-R and Visual Analogue Self Esteem Scale (VASES) and the Stroke Aphasic Depression Questionnaire 21 (SADQH-21) was completed by a nurse or carer. Results: The internal consistency of the scale was high (healthy adults alpha 0.74, aphasic stroke patients alpha 0.80). The VAMS-R correlated significantly with the HADS in healthy participants (HADS Anxiety r(s) = 0.59, P < 0.001, HADS Depression r(s) = 0.49, P = 0.001) and the VASES (r(s) = -0.69, P < 0.001) and SADQH-21 (r(s) = 0.43, P = 0.001) in stroke patients. Exploratory factor analysis identified three factors in the scale: negative mood states, energy levels and happiness. The three factors accounted 73% of the variance in healthy participants and 70% of the variance in aphasic stroke patients. Conclusions: The VAMS-R showed better psychometric properties than the original VAMS. Reversing the happy and energetic items improved the ability of the scale to assess mood states.