Introducing the Chen-HAgiwara Mood Test (CHAMT): A novel, brief scale developed in Japanese populations for assessing mood variations

Abstract

Understanding and assessing mood are pivotal in psychological and psychiatric research, yet existing scales often exhibit limitations such as focusing on singular dimensions of mood and introducing comparative bias through Likert scales. To address these issues, the Chen-HAgiwara Mood Test (CHAMT), a novel three-item scale, was developed. Grounded in the valence-arousal two-dimensional theory of affect, CHAMT offers a comprehensive assessment, focusing on three integral mood components: pleasure, relaxation, and vigor. This study evaluates the reliability, validity, and applicability of CHAMT in capturing mood variations post diverse experimental interventions. The results indicate that CHAMT exhibits high internal consistency and notable item-total correlations, underscoring its reliability. It demonstrated excellent same-day test-retest reliability, with variations observed on different days, implying a potential influence of temporal factors on mood assessments. The notable correlations between CHAMT's components and established external criteria such as positive affect, depression, and state anxiety substantiate its validity in assessing diverse mood dimensions. The examination of different interventions revealed a discernable impact on specific mood components, aligning with theoretical expectations, and showcasing the nuanced interplay between interventions and mood dimensions. The findings suggest that CHAMT holds substantial promise in refining mood assessments in psychological and psychiatric research, due to its brevity, multifaceted approach, and alignment with established theoretical frameworks.

Keywords: Mood assessment; Mood dimensions; Psychometrics; Reliability and validity; Valence-arousal theory.