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Validation of POMS questionnaire in postmenopausal women

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) in postmenopausal women with moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms.

Methods

Internal consistency, validity, and reliability of the POMS were examined using blinded data from 539 postmenopausal women with ≥50 moderate to severe hot flushes per week at baseline enrolled in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of desvenlafaxine (administered as desvenlafaxine succinate) for vasomotor symptoms.

Results

The POMS subscales and total score demonstrated sound internal consistency reliability (α ≥ 0.84). Comparisons between POMS subscales and Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) scores with Greene Climacteric Scale domains provided consistent known-groups and construct validity. Results from the confirmatory factor analysis were supportive of the second-order factor structure (root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.078). For women with POMS TMD scores below the US adult female norms, there was little mean change at Week 12 but marked mean improvement in women with greater mood symptoms scoring worse than the norm at baseline.

Conclusion

These data demonstrate the internal consistency and validity of the POMS to measure mood among postmenopausal women with moderate to severe hot flushes and the responsiveness of the POMS among these women with greater mood symptoms.

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Abbreviations

POMS:

Profile of Mood States

TMD:

Total Mood Disturbance

GCS:

Greene Climacteric Scale

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

BMI:

Body mass index

HFs:

Hot flushes

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Acknowledgments

Research sponsored by Wyeth Research, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, which was acquired by Pfizer Inc in October 2009. Medical writing support for this manuscript was provided by Kathleen M. Dorries, PhD, and medical editing support was provided by Jennifer Karpinski, BA, both of Embryon, LLC, a Division of Advanced Health Media, LLC. This assistance was funded by Pfizer Inc.

Conflict of interest

Dr. Wyrwich was a paid consultant to Wyeth, which was acquired by Pfizer Inc in October 2009, in connection with the development of this manuscript. Holly Yu is a full-time employee of Pfizer Inc.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Health Outcomes Research, United BioSource Corporation, 7101 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 600, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA

    Kathleen W. Wyrwich

  2. Pfizer Inc, Formerly Wyeth Research, Collegeville, PA, USA

    Holly Yu

Authors
  1. Kathleen W. Wyrwich
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  2. Holly Yu
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Correspondence to Kathleen W. Wyrwich.

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Wyrwich, K.W., Yu, H. Validation of POMS questionnaire in postmenopausal women. Qual Life Res 20, 1111–1121 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-011-9846-2

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