Fatigue after brain injury: initial reliability study of the BNI Fatigue Scale

Objective : Fatigue is a common problem of many neurological disorders. Yet, few measures have been developed to adequately assess fatigue, particularly during the early stages following a brain injury. The purpose of this study was to document the psychometric properties of the BNI Fatigue Scale for use on an acute, inpatient neurorehabilitation unit. Research design : A prospective cohort of patients seen for inpatient rehabilitation following brain injury. Procedures : The BNI Fatigue Scale was administered to an heterogeneous sample of 84 neurologic patients upon admission to the Neurorehabilitation unit within 20 days of their injury. Results : Principle components factor analysis yielded a one-factor solution. Acceptable internal consistency was calculated for the scale items. Overall index of fatigue correlated significantly with the total scale score. Conclusions : This initial study on the BNI Fatigue Scale supports its reliability and clinical utility for use with acute neurological patients. Information obtained by this scale may help to guide the rehabilitation process and provide direction for intervention and treatment.