The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale Short Form (MSAS-SF) - Validity and reliability

BACKGROUND, The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale Short Form (MSAS-SF), an abbreviated version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, measures each of 32 symptoms with respect to distress or frequency alone, A physical sym ptom subscale (PHYS), psychologic symptom subscale (PSYCH), and global dist ress index (GDI) can be derived from the Short Form We validated the MSASSF in a population of cancer patients. METHODS. Two hundred ninety-nine cancer patients examined at the Section of Hematology/Oncology completed the MSAS-SF and the Functional Assessment Ca ncer Therapy (FACT-G). The Karnofsky performance status (KPS), extent of di sease (EOD), and demographic data were assessed. The Cronbach alpha coeffic ient was used to assess internal reliability, MSAS-SF subscales were assess ed against subscales of the FBCT-G, the KPS, and EOD to determine criterion validity. Test-retest analysis was performed at 1 day and at 1 week. RESULTS. The Cronbach alpha coefficients for the MSAS-SF subscales ranged f rom 0.76 to 0.87. The MSAS-SF subscales shelved convergent validity with FA CT subscales. Correlation coefficients were -0.74 (P < 0.001) for the PHYS and FACT-G physical well-being subscales, -0.68 (P < 0.001] for the PSYCH a nd FACT emotional well-being subscales, and -0.70 (P < 0.001) for GDI and F ACT summary of quality-of-life subscales. The MSAS-SF subscales demonstrate d convergent validity with performance status, inpatient status, and extent of disease. The test-retest correlation coefficients for the MSAS-SF subsc ales ranged from 0.86 to 0.94 at 1 day and from 0.40 to 0.84 for the 1 week group. CONCLUSIONS. The MSAS-SF is a valid and easy to use instrument for symptom assessment. Published 2000 by the American Cancer Society.*.