A Systematic Review of Studies Using the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue Scale.

Purpose: To review how the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue (MAF) has been used and evaluate its psychometric properties.

Methods: We conducted a database search using "multidimensional assessment of fatigue" or "MAF" as key terms from 1993 to 2015, and located 102 studies.

Results: Eighty-three were empirical studies and 19 were reviews/evaluations. Research was conducted in 17 countries; 32 diseases were represented. Nine language versions of the MAF were used. The mean of the Global Fatigue Index ranged from 10.9 to 49.4. The MAF was reported to be easy-to-use, had strong reliability and validity, and was used in populations who spoke languages other than English.

Conclusion: The MAF is an acceptable assessment tool to measure fatigue and intervention effectiveness in various languages, diseases, and settings across the world.