Concurrent validity of the Beck Depression Inventory and the multidimensional fatigue inventory-20 in assessing fatigue among cancer patients.

Cancer patients experience both fatigue and depression while undergoing treatment for their disease. A number of authors have conceptualized such depression among this populations as secondary to fatigue. This study of 54 patients was done to test the concurrent validity of two inventories. Scores on the five subscales of the 20-item Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory were correlated with those on the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory. Moderate correlations are reported and the potential usefulness of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory is discussed.