# Psychometric properties and norm values of a short screening version of the profile of mood states POMS from the German general population

## TL;DR

This study confirms the reliability and validity of a shorter version of the POMS mood assessment tool in a German population sample.

## Contribution

The study provides new normative data and confirms the structural validity of the POMS-16 in a representative German sample.

## Key findings

- The four-factor model of the POMS-16 showed acceptable fit and good reliability.
- Partial strict invariance was found between gender and age groups.
- Normative percentile ranks were reported for the POMS-16.

## Abstract

The current study aimed to provide further evidence of the structural validity of the 16-item-short version of the Profile of Mood States (POMS), a widely-used tool for assessing an individual’s emotional state. This is significant for various research inquiries in clinical and social psychology. In order to cross-validate previous findings, an additional evaluation of the factorial structure and the psychometric properties is necessary in a newly collected dataset. A representative sample for age and gender of N = 2503 with 1329 (53%) female, 1173 (47%) male, and 1 (< 1%) diverse, with a mean age of M = 46 (SD = 18) was collected. The model fit for the four-factor model was acceptable, with good reliability for all factors. We found evidence for (partial) strict invariance between gender and age groups. There were small to moderate group differences for the Anger and Vigor subscales regarding age. We report normative percentile ranks. Our findings suggest that the POMS-16 is a dependable and structurally valid gauge of mood states. Especially in situations where a brief and cost-effective assessment is preferred, the POMS-16 should be a considered option.