Re: AD ACL Short Form

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue,

That's interesting. I'm not sure how these tests are used, but it's

one of the few tests that I can easily answer the questions w/o

wondering what they're really trying to ask. :-) I think it would be

helpful for doctors to at least get a good idea of how you're

feeling.

I do think there's something to Cheyney's heart connection. Just not

sure that it's causative. In my mind, it's more likely just another

way that this infection slowly destroys our bodies. My heart has

gotten weirder and weirder, especially as my infection has gotten

worse. But I suppose it's possible that some underlying heart

condition creates a predisposition for an inability to fight off

infections. It could make sense considering our tendency for reduced

blood pressure and coagulation disorders, both of which are related

to, or affect, heart function.

penny

> Hi all,

>

> I know there are some psychotherapists on this list. Have any of

> you--or has anyone else--had experience with the the

> Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD ACL)?

>

> http://www.csulb.edu/~thayer/thayer/adacl.htm

>

> This is one of the tests that Peckerman/Natelson used to measure a

> patient's level of fatigue on the day they did the impedance

> cardiography test.

>

> http://www.cfids-cab.org/MESA/cardiac-1.html

>

> Cheney apparently believed there was a strong correlation between

the

> results of these tests and cardiac output. I'm suspicious of most

tests

> that purport to measure fatigue because it seems to me that what

they

> are measuring is mood, especially depression. But I don't know

about

> this one.

>

> Would it be useful if people took this test and posted their

scores and

> commented on how accurately it measured their ability to

function? I'd

> really like to know l what people think of it.

>

> It's a very, very short test and should only take a minute or

two. You

> simply apply this key to the list of words below. The website

says,

> " Work rapidly, but please mark all the words. Your first reaction

is

> best. "

>

> vv = this is DEFINITELY how you feel at this moment (4 points)

>

> v = you feel slightly this way at the moment (3 points)

>

> ? = you can't decide if this is how you feel at the moment) (2

points)

>

> no = no, you definitely do not feel this way at the moment. (1

point)

> ---------------

>

> Here's the test:

>

> active vv v ? no

>

> placid vv v ? no

>

> sleepy vv v ? no

>

> jittery vv v ? no

>

> energetic vv v ? no

>

> intense vv v ? no

>

> calm vv v ? no

>

> tired vv v ? no

>

> vigorous vv v ? no

>

> at-rest vv v ? no

>

> drowsy vv v ? no

>

> fearful vv v ? no

>

> lively vv v ? no

>

> still vv v ? no

>

> wide-awake vv v ? no

>

> clutched-up vv v ? no

>

> quiet vv v ? no

>

> full-of-pep vv v ? no

>

> tense vv v ? no

>

> wakeful vv v ? no

> -------------------------------

>

> How do you score it? Beats me. This is what the website says:

>

> " The AD ACL is scored by assigning 4, 3, 2, and 1, respectively to

the

> " vv, v, ? " and " no " scale points, and summing or averaging the

five

> scores for each subscale. (An appropriate template can be easily

> constructed.) In order of appearance, the subscale adjectives are

as

> follows: Energetic (active, energetic, vigorous, lively, full-of-

pep);

> Tired (sleepy, tired, drowsy, wide-awake, wakeful); Tension

(jittery,

> intense, fearful, clutched-up, tense); Calmness (placid, calm, at-

rest,

> still, quiet). Scoring for " wakeful " and " wide-awake " must be

reversed

> for the Tiredness subscale. Tiredness and Calmness scores must be

> reversed (but not wakeful and wide-awake in this case) before

summing

> the ten scores. "

> -------------------------------

>

> For what it's worthy, I'll offer my own results here, though I

don't

> know how to score it. For context, I am a healthy 68-year-old

> caregiver.

>

> active 4 (I would be active if I weren't sitting here. I hate

> ambiguous tests.)

> placid 3 (Aside from disliking this test, I'm pretty placid.)

> sleepy 1 (I have dry eyes, which sometimes make me think I'm

sleepy.)

> jittery 1

> energetic 4

> intense 2 (This doesn't ring a bell.)

> calm 4

> tired 2

> vigorous 4 (I would feel vigorous if I weren't taking this test.)

> at-rest 3 (Is that the same as calm?)

> drowsy 1 (How does drowsy differ from sleepy?)

> fearful 1

> lively 3 (I would be if I weren't sitting at the computer.)

> still 3 (How can you be still, and type?)

> wide-awake 4

> clutched-up 1

> quiet 1

> full-of-pep 3 (Less so by the moment, as this test is irritating

me.)

> tense 1

> wakeful 4

> -----------------------------------

>

> So what do you think? Is this a good test of function? Of how

sick

> you are? There's a longer version of this test.

>

> Sue ,

> Upstate New York

[Guest guest]

Hi Penny,

No, I'm not sure if it's causative either, but I don't think that

matters. It COULD cause all the downstream symptoms he lists. Or it

could be just another symptom in the cascade.

For starters all I want to know is if the most severely ill people, the

most dysfunctional people have low cardiac output. (But how do you find

these people? They are not on this list or any other list--though some

of them used to be.)

I trust the tilt table impedance cardiography. I don't trust the tests

that measure function because all the ones I've seen include mood

questions. I'm interested in tests that measure something other than

mood.

My fantasy: Patient says, " I have an infection, " and the doctor says,

" No, you're depressed. This test you just took demonstrates it.

Exercise. " Patient says, " I get sicker when I exercise. " Doctor

says, " You're just stressed. Try CBT. " Patient says, " My cardiac

output is less than half of normal. " Doctor says, " Really? Maybe you

have an infection. "

Sue

Upstate New York

Penny, my signature always sounds so formal next to yours. There are an

incredible number of posters named " Sue, " but if I had a name like

yours...

> I do think there's something to Cheyney's heart connection. Just not

> sure that it's causative.