Factor Structure of the Parent-Report Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) in an Outpatient Mental Health Sample

Abstract

The current investigation examined the internal structure and discriminant validity of the parent-report Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ-P), a commonly used measure of depressive symptoms in youth. A total of 1493 families with youth ages 5 to 18 (61.02 % male) presenting for treatment at an outpatient mental health clinic were randomly allocated to an Exploratory Sample 1 or to a Replication Sample 2. Internal structure of the MFQ-P was examined using exploratory factor analysis in Sample 1 (N = 769) and then replicated using confirmatory factor analysis in Sample 2 (N = 724). Results of the exploratory factor analysis yielded a 5-factor structure comprised of core mood, vegetative, suicidality, cognitive, and agitated distress symptom subscales. The 5-factor solution was replicated in Sample 2 with adequate fit, (CFI = 0.908, TLI = 0.974, RMSEA =0.067). Results lend statistical support for 5 candidate subscales of the MFQ-P. These potential subscales may aid in efficient identification of critical symptoms of depression.

Bullying by siblings and peers: Poly‐setting victimization and the association with problem behaviours and depression

“…The Moods and Feelings Questionnaire short version (MFQ, Angold, Costello, Messer, Pickles, Winder & Silver 1995;Messer, Angold, Costello, Loeber, Van Kammen & Stouthamer-Loeber, 1995) was used to determine how participants were feeling in the past two weeks. Previous studies have found it to be a reliable and valid measure of depression in populations aged 6-17 years (e.g., Jeffreys et al, 2016).…”

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation into Brazilian Portuguese of the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) – Long Version

“…Although MDD is conceptualized as an internalizing disorder, the caregiver's version helps to capture the construct of depression more comprehensively and seems to better predict a depressive episode when compared to the adolescent report in isolation. 8,14 The present study, however, is not without limitations: the sample for the cognitive debriefing step was very small and, despite trying to cover different ages and genders, we did not control for socioeconomic status or diagnostic categories. Also, the fact that all subjects were patients at mental health clinics limits the generalizability of findings to community settings.…”

“…The MFQ is one of the most frequently used instruments to assess depressive symptoms in children and adolescents in the international literature. 12,14 The absence of a Brazilian Portuguese translation of its long version prevents its use in a country currently with a population of 63 million children and adolescents. 15 We has been applied with the objective of verifying its psychometric properties.…”

Gamma entrainment frequency affects mood, memory and cognition: an exploratory pilot study

“…Additionally, a mood assessment would occur before undergoing psychoacoustic stimulation. The mood assessment was based on a pre-existing model of an already established Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) [27,28]. Moreover, mood assessments took place from the initial session, at the halfway point and on the concluding session: sessions 1, 4 and 8, respectively.…”