[Examination of proposed items for a fatigue questionnaire for students based on subjective symptoms]

The purposes of this study were to examine questionnaire items on subjective symptoms of fatigue (SSF) using students for cognitive appraisal, and to select effective items. Questionnaire items were selected from each domain of a hypothetical structure of fatigue considering the theoretical validity. A total of 154 items was reselected based on preliminary survey results, and the questionnaire was then administered to 731 people aged 15-26. The subjects answered whether the content was valid as an item of SSF or not, and to what degree the content of question for each item was important. First, chi-square analysis was used to examine the statistical validity of each item. As a result, 54 items were selected as effective items to measure SSF. In addition, principal factor solution and normal varimax rotation were applied to correlation matrices consisting of 54 SSF items based on the cognitive appraisal, and 6 factors were interpreted as follows: difficulty with concentrated thinking, languor, loss of vigor, drowsiness, and a feeling of impatience and physical disintegration. Significant correlations between the 54 items and each factor were found and each item showed high reliability. Therefore, 25 items were selected as effective items to measure SSF. It was inferred that the validity and reliability of each SSF item were high.