Development of a Measure of Mood State for Children: The MINIMOOD

The purposes of the present study were to develop and validate a mood scale measure for elementary grade school children. Graduate students generated a sampling of mood state items, 30 to use in a pilot study and 60 to use in a study to develop and validate this scale. Ratings were obtained on five point scale choices on each of the items from a sample of children in grades 1-5, 50 for the pilot study and 206 for the developmental study. Ratings were obtained in both studies on the CMAS measure of trait anxiety. Separate factor analyses using Principal Components Factor Analysis with Varimax Rotation were used in both studies. Results of the analyses in the developmental study showed 13 factors, 12 of which were defined by mood state items and 1 factor was uniquely defined by the CMAS test. The mood state scales from the 12 factors were chosen to comprise the Childrens' measure of mood state, labeled the Minimood. They were shown internally consistent with Alpha reliabilities of .80 or above on all 12 mood state factors, and both stable and valid across grade levels 1-5. Ten of the 12 factors were similar in content emphasis to those identified in studies of adult mood state. (Contains 2 tables.)