A self-assessment questionnaire for mental fatigue and related symptoms after neurological disorders and injuries

Primary objective: The purpose was to evaluate a new self-reporting scale for assessment of mental fatigue and its usefulness in describing mental fatigue after neurological diseases and injuries. Mental fatigue is suggested to comprise a spectrum of items including sensory, emotional and cognitive symptoms. Methods and procedures: Mental fatigue and related symptoms were measured with a self-assessment scale on different diagnostic groups with neurological injuries and diseases as well as healthy controls. The scale covers sleep, sensory, emotional and cognitive domains, mental recovery and 24-hour variation. Results: There were significant correlations between all the questions in the self-assessing scale and also a high internal consistency among items (Cronbach's alpha of 0.944). Despite the different aetiologies of mental fatigue and related symptoms, the individuals rated the questions in a similar way. The total sum of scores, as well as the separate questions showed significantly lower values for healthy controls compared to mental fatigue groups. Conclusion: In spite of the different aetiology of mental fatigue, the items included in the scale were significant for different diseases with co-occurring mental fatigue. The self-reported scale is suggested to be a valuable tool for assessment of mental fatigue in different diagnoses.