The Faces Pain Scale (FPS; Bieri et al., Pain 41 (1990) 139) is a self-report measure used to assess the intensity of children's pain. Three studies were carried out to revise the original scale and validate the adapted version. In the first phase, the FPS was revised from its original seven faces to six, while maintaining its desirable psychometric properties, in order to make it compatible in scoring with other self-rating and observational scales which use a common metric (0-5 or 0-10). Using a computer-animated version of the FPS developed by Champion and colleagues (Sydney Animated Facial Expressions Scale), psychophysical methods were applied to identify four faces representing equal intervals between the scale values representing least pain and most pain. In the second phase, children used the new six-face Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R) to rate the intensity of pain from ear piercing. Its validity is supported by a strong positive correlation (r=0.93, N=76) with a visual analogue scale (VAS) measure in children aged 5-12 years. In the third phase, a clinical sample of pediatric inpatients aged 4-12 years used the FPS-R and a VAS or the colored analogue scale (CAS) to rate pain during hospitalization for surgical and non-surgical painful conditions. The validity of the FPS-R was further supported by strong positive correlations with the VAS (r=0.92, N=45) and the CAS (r=0.84, N=45) in this clinical sample. Most children in all age groups including the youngest were able to use the FPS-R in a manner that was consistent with the other measures. There were no significant differences between the means on the FPS-R and either of the analogue scales. The FPS-R is shown to be appropriate for use in assessment of the intensity of children's acute pain from age 4 or 5 onward. It has the advantage of being suitable for use with the most widely used metric for scoring (0-10), and conforms closely to a linear interval scale.

No abstract

No abstract

In an introductory psychology course at the University of Pennsylvania, 143 of the 145 students completed the short form Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL), and an attributional scale which consisted of 12 hypothetical situations, 6 describing good outcomes, 6 describing bad outcomes, half of each having an affiliation orientation, and the other half, an achievement orientation. The students indicated for each situation the one major cause of the outcome described and then rated each cause on a 7-point scale for degree of internality, stability, and globality. They also indicated how important each situation would be if it happened to them.Correlations between the attributional scales and the BDI revealed that being depressed was positively associated with attributing bad outcomes to internal, stable, and global causes, and negatively associated with attributing good outcomes to internal and stable causes. Attribution-MAACL correlations showed similar but smaller relationships, those for good outcomes being nonsignificant. Analysis of variance revealed that the students in the upper quartile on the BDI gave more internal, stable, and global attributions for bad outcomes and more unstable and somewhat more external attributions for good outcomes than did the students scoring in the lower quartile on the BDI. The findings indicate that depression tends to ensue when a bad outcome occurs or is anticipated if it is attributed to global, stable, and internal factors. 7, 1979, 94 pp. This volume concerns the processes and procedures involved in all phases of student service program development. The chapters cover preassessing needs and resources for the establishment of new programs; building upon the political climate of institutions; designing and maintaining quality programs; managing, restructuring, and terminating programs; and staff development. An annotated bibliography of 17 articles and books is included.-Assistant Dean of Students, University of Texas, Austin. Establishing Effective Programs. 0914-1 5/NERBlake, Elizabeth S.Academe, 1979, 65 (September) pp. 280-292.In all colleges, the students are there because of the formal curriculum. Nevertheless, what goes on outside of class is not only a part of the student's educational immersion but may even contribute greatly to education. Campus life differs from ordinary life in the density and accessibility of the learning available and the opportunity for growth

Observational (behavioral) scales of pain for children aged 3 to 18 years were systematically reviewed to identify those recommended as outcome measures in clinical trials. This review was commissioned by the Pediatric Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (www.immpact.org). In an extensive literature search, 20 observational pain scales were identified for review including behavior checklists, behavior rating scales, and global rating scales. These scales varied in their reliance on time sampling and inclusion of physiological items, facial and postural items, as well as their inclusion of multiple dimensions of assessment (e.g., pain and distress). Each measure was evaluated based on its reported psychometric properties and clinical utility. Scales were judged to be indicated for use in specific acute pain contexts rather than for general use. Two scales were recommended for assessing pain intensity associated with medical procedures and other brief painful events. Two scales were recommended for post-operative pain assessment, one for use in hospital and the other at home. Another scale was recommended for use in critical care. Finally, two scales were recommended for assessing pain-related distress or fear. No observational measures were recommended for assessing chronic or recurrent pain because the overt behavioral signs of chronic pain tend to habituate or dissipate as time passes, making them difficult to observe reliably. In conclusion, no single observational measure is broadly recommended for pain assessment across all contexts. Directions for further research and scale development are offered.

For clinical use, we found no grounds to switch from 1 faces scale to another when 1 of the scales is in use. For research use, the FPS-R has been recommended on the basis of utility and psychometric features. Data are sparse for children below the age of 5 years, and future research should focus on simplified measures, instructions, and anchors for these younger children.

Despite wide usage of the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for self-report of pain intensity in clinical practice with children and adolescents, validation data are lacking. We present here three datasets from studies in which the NRS was used together with another self-report scale. Study A compared post-operative pain ratings on the NRS with scores on the Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R) in 69 children age 7-17 years who had undergone a variety of surgical procedures. Study B compared post-operative pain ratings on the NRS with scores on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in 29 children age 9-17 years who had undergone pectus excavatum repair. Study C compared ratings of remembered immunization pain in 236 children who comprised an NRS group and a sex- and age-matched VAS group. Correlations of the NRS with the FPS-R and VAS were r=0.87 and 0.89 in Studies A and B, respectively. In Study C, the distributions of scores on the NRS and VAS were very similar except that scores closest to the no pain anchor were more likely to be selected on the VAS than the NRS. The NRS can be considered functionally equivalent to the VAS and FPS-R except for very mild pain (<1/10). We conclude that use of the NRS is tentatively supported for clinical practice with children of 8years and older, and we recommend further research on the lower age limit and on standardized age-appropriate anchors and instructions for this scale.

No abstract