Psychometric validation of the Spanish-versions of the Vanderbilt fatigue scales for adults

Listening-related fatigue can be a significant problem for some people with hearing loss. However, such fatigue is rarely assessed by audiologists due, in part, to the scarcity of assessment tools, especially in non-English languages. The goal of this study was to validate the short and long versions of the Spanish Vanderbilt Fatigue Scales for Adults (SP-VFS-As).

A between-groups, cross-sectional, study was used to evaluate the psychometric properties, validity, and reliability of the SP-VFS-As. Participants completed the scales online using Qualtrics software.

Participants were 287 adults between 18 to >86 years old (206 females; 117 with hearing loss) from 17 countries. Of these, 81 participants completed the scales a second time for reliability purposes.

Analyses revealed excellent known-groups validity. The test-retest reliability showed high internal consistency. Factor analyses suggested a unidimensional structure for the scales, consistent with the original English versions.

The SP-VFS-As are psychometrically valid, reliable, and appropriate for assessing listening-related fatigue in Spanish speakers.