title: Description and validation of a questionnaire for the detection of meteoropathy and meteorosensitivity: the METEO-Q.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a growing interest for the effects of weather changes on both healthy and psychiatric individuals. This study aims to validate a short questionnaire (METEO-Q) for the detection of meteoropathy and meteorosensitivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The METEO-Q was administered to 1099 (528 men, 571 women) healthy subjects. Factor analyses, internal consistency, and item analysis were undertaken to examine the factorial structure of the questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The METEO-Q has satisfactory factorial structure and internal reliability. Our results demonstrate that women have higher scores than man and, therefore, women mostly have meteoropathy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support the use of the METEO-Q for collecting information regarding the effects of weather changes on healthy subjects and potentially on psychiatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. mariannamazza@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Nicola
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Callea
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martinotti
authors.forename: Desiree
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harnic
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bruschi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Janiri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014887:Weather