Chronic fatigue: psychometric properties and updated norm values of the Chalder fatigue scale in a cross-sectional sample representative of the German population
Background The Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFQ) is a commonly used self-report instrument assessing the severity and chronicity of fatigue. We examine the psychometric properties of the CFQ and provide updated normative data for the German general population.Materials and Methods The CFQ was administered...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Annals of Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2524087 |
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| author | Lina Krakau Felix Wicke Winfried Häuser Manfred E. Beutel Elmar Brähler Nora Hettich-Damm |
| author_facet | Lina Krakau Felix Wicke Winfried Häuser Manfred E. Beutel Elmar Brähler Nora Hettich-Damm |
| author_sort | Lina Krakau |
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| description | Background The Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFQ) is a commonly used self-report instrument assessing the severity and chronicity of fatigue. We examine the psychometric properties of the CFQ and provide updated normative data for the German general population.Materials and Methods The CFQ was administered to N = 2519 participants (16-96 years). Statistical analyses included the evaluation of the item properties, confirmatory factor analysis and examinig associations with mental health and sociodemographic data. CFQ cut-offs were used to estimate proportions of severe and chronic fatigue scores. We calculated percentile norms for the total sample and stratified by age groups and gender.Results Indicators of internal consistency reliability were high for the CFQ total and subscales (α = 0.84–0.94; ω = 0.86–0.95). We found excellent model fit for a one (χ2 = 196.011, df = 44, p ≤ .001; CFI=.991, RMSEA = 0.037, SRMR = 0.059) and two-factor solution (χ2 = 115.055, df = 42, p ≤ .001; CFI=.996, RMSEA = 0.026, SRMR = 0.045). The CFQ total scale showed low to moderate associations with depression (r = .49, p ≤ .001), anxiety (r = .45, p ≤ .001), and loneliness (r = .26, p ≤ .001), indicating acceptable discriminant validity. Current unemployment was a relevant sociodemographic correlate of fatigue severity (CFQ total: β =.38, se =.09, p ≤ .001). 14.2% of participants reported severe fatigue, while 4.3% reported being fatigued for at least six months (chronic fatigue).Conclusion The CFQ is a brief and reliable instrument for assessing fatigue in general population settings. The results are limited by the lack of comparison with other established fatigue questionnaires. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0785-3890 1365-2060 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
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| series | Annals of Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-e7b08319bce64e8cb2a87569f394e5392025-08-20T03:28:26ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAnnals of Medicine0785-38901365-20602025-12-0157110.1080/07853890.2025.2524087Chronic fatigue: psychometric properties and updated norm values of the Chalder fatigue scale in a cross-sectional sample representative of the German populationLina Krakau0Felix Wicke1Winfried Häuser2Manfred E. Beutel3Elmar Brähler4Nora Hettich-Damm5Department for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, GermanyDepartment for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, GermanyDepartment Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technical University Munich, München, GermanyDepartment for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, GermanyDepartment for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, GermanyDepartment for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, GermanyBackground The Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFQ) is a commonly used self-report instrument assessing the severity and chronicity of fatigue. We examine the psychometric properties of the CFQ and provide updated normative data for the German general population.Materials and Methods The CFQ was administered to N = 2519 participants (16-96 years). Statistical analyses included the evaluation of the item properties, confirmatory factor analysis and examinig associations with mental health and sociodemographic data. CFQ cut-offs were used to estimate proportions of severe and chronic fatigue scores. We calculated percentile norms for the total sample and stratified by age groups and gender.Results Indicators of internal consistency reliability were high for the CFQ total and subscales (α = 0.84–0.94; ω = 0.86–0.95). We found excellent model fit for a one (χ2 = 196.011, df = 44, p ≤ .001; CFI=.991, RMSEA = 0.037, SRMR = 0.059) and two-factor solution (χ2 = 115.055, df = 42, p ≤ .001; CFI=.996, RMSEA = 0.026, SRMR = 0.045). The CFQ total scale showed low to moderate associations with depression (r = .49, p ≤ .001), anxiety (r = .45, p ≤ .001), and loneliness (r = .26, p ≤ .001), indicating acceptable discriminant validity. Current unemployment was a relevant sociodemographic correlate of fatigue severity (CFQ total: β =.38, se =.09, p ≤ .001). 14.2% of participants reported severe fatigue, while 4.3% reported being fatigued for at least six months (chronic fatigue).Conclusion The CFQ is a brief and reliable instrument for assessing fatigue in general population settings. The results are limited by the lack of comparison with other established fatigue questionnaires.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2524087Chronic fatiguefatiguemeasurementsomatic symptomsChalder Fatigue Scale |
| spellingShingle | Lina Krakau Felix Wicke Winfried Häuser Manfred E. Beutel Elmar Brähler Nora Hettich-Damm Chronic fatigue: psychometric properties and updated norm values of the Chalder fatigue scale in a cross-sectional sample representative of the German population Annals of Medicine Chronic fatigue fatigue measurement somatic symptoms Chalder Fatigue Scale |
| title | Chronic fatigue: psychometric properties and updated norm values of the Chalder fatigue scale in a cross-sectional sample representative of the German population |
| title_full | Chronic fatigue: psychometric properties and updated norm values of the Chalder fatigue scale in a cross-sectional sample representative of the German population |
| title_fullStr | Chronic fatigue: psychometric properties and updated norm values of the Chalder fatigue scale in a cross-sectional sample representative of the German population |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chronic fatigue: psychometric properties and updated norm values of the Chalder fatigue scale in a cross-sectional sample representative of the German population |
| title_short | Chronic fatigue: psychometric properties and updated norm values of the Chalder fatigue scale in a cross-sectional sample representative of the German population |
| title_sort | chronic fatigue psychometric properties and updated norm values of the chalder fatigue scale in a cross sectional sample representative of the german population |
| topic | Chronic fatigue fatigue measurement somatic symptoms Chalder Fatigue Scale |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2524087 |
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