title: Psychometric properties of a revised version of the Visual Analog Mood Scales.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty healthy older people and 71 aphasic stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community and hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Work, Health and Organisations, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kontou
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Lincoln
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001037:Aphasia / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation