Influence of item sequence on transient mood assessment

The present study compared self-reported transient mood assessment using two different presentations of the sequence of mood scale items. A sample of 300 adults completed the standard Brunel Mood Scale and, after a distraction task, completed an experimental version composed of items grouped along the original subscales. A further 292 adults completed the scales in reverse order. After analysis, no significant differences in response patterns were observed. Results suggested that items sequenced non-randomly and according to mood subscales do not affect the accuracy of transient mood assessment. This suggests that for administration to large groups, the experimental version maintains the psychometric validity of the standard version while at the same time being more time-effective to score.