Validation of the Wood Mental Fatigue Inventory in adolescents with [ME/CFS] 2026 Welch et al

[Andy]

Abstract​

Background​

There is no consensus regarding the most reliable and valid measures of cognitive dysfunction in adolescents and adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The Wood Mental Fatigue Inventory (WMFI) is commonly used in adults while the Pediatric Quality of Life Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL MFS) is commonly used in adolescents. This study examined whether the WMFI was valid in adolescents.

Methods​

Over a two-year period, participants in a cohort study completed four questionnaires: PedsQL, PedsQL MFS, Functional Disability Inventory (FDI), and WMFI. We examined the validity of the WMFI in 55 healthy adolescents and 55 with ME/CFS, determined how well the WMFI and PedsQL MFS cognitive fatigue subscale correlated with one another and with general quality of life surveys, and examined each questionnaire's responsiveness to change over time.

Results​

The PedsQL MFS cognitive fatigue subscale and the WMFI had a strong negative correlation for both healthy controls and ME/CFS patients at baseline with R2 values of 0.3915 and 0.8049 respectively. There was a similar strong negative correlation (R2 = 0.7739) between the two questionnaires in ME/CFS participants at the 24 month point of follow-up after multi-modal treatment. Each questionnaire was found to be similarly responsive to change.

Conclusion​

The WMFI had a high correlation with the PedsQL MFS cognitive fatigue subscale. The WMFI has the advantage of ease of scoring. Both measures were responsive to changes in mental fatigue among those with ME/CFS over time.

Open access

 

[rvallee]

There is no consensus regarding the most reliable and valid measures of cognitive dysfunction

This study examined whether the WMFI was valid in adolescents

The WMFI had a high correlation with the PedsQL MFS cognitive fatigue subscale

Kingdom A, which measures distances in feet, using their king's foot as a base unit, has compared its scale of measurement with the engineers of kingdom B, which also measures distances in feet, using their king's foot as a scale, and they're really close, therefore king feet are a valid unit of measurement.

It's so annoying seeing this while the AI age is unfolding, where so many of the problems have to do with the lack of a "ground truth", a true objective, quantitative measurement.

The WMFI has the advantage of ease of scoring

Good for you, now you can "measure", here meaning score, things poorly with more ease.

FFS, scientists please stop using measure when you are not counting things. If you're not counting, you're not doing science.