Assessing the dimensions of pain: a multitrait-multimethod evaluation of seven measures

Abstract

A multitrait-multimethod design was used to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of seven pain measures from three widely used self-report instruments designed to assess the sensory, affective and intensity dimensions of pain. The instruments were the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the Pain Perception Profile and Numerical Ratings. Three distinct factor models, each corresponding to a different hypothesis about how these pain measures are related, were tested using confirmatory factor analysis in a sample of 419 headache sufferers. A three-factor model, postulating three correlated factors defined by the three assessment instruments best explained the correlations between the pain measures. Measures of sensory, affective and intensity dimensions from the three instruments failed to exhibit convergent or discriminant validity. Rather, instrument variance obscured the pain qualities the three pain instruments were designed to assess. These findings suggest that greater attention needs to be paid to how formal characteristics of pain assessment instruments influence patients' descriptions of their pain.

Effect Of High Resistance Weight Training On Reported Pain In Older Adults

“…In recent decades pain has come to be regarded as a multidimensional construct: sensory qualities of pain, affective reactions to pain, and pain intensity (Holroyd et al, 1996). The McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), developed in 1975 by Melzack and Torgerson, is a well-known and frequently used multidimensional instrument for measuring the quality and intensity of pain in English-speaking countries.…”

The role of affect in somatoform and factitious disorders

“…The unpleasantness is instantaneous and requires little or no cognitive interpretation. Unpleasantness is not only concurrent with all pain, but also is positively correlated with the magnitude of pain sensation [10]. Yet, it can be separated from its sensory counterpart under conditions of experimental manipulation or clinical intervention [11].…”

Associations among pain intensity, sensory characteristics, affective qualities, and activity limitations in patients with chronic pain: A momentary, within-person perspective

“…The literature documents that pain is a multifaceted experience that includes not only intensity, but also sensory characteristics (eg, aching, splitting), affective qualities (eg, tiring, scary), and activity limitations. 1,[6][7][8]10,12,22,23,29,32,39,40 …”

“…As befits the importance of the topic, scores of articles have been devoted to the dimensionality and scaling of pain assessments. 1,4,5,8,11,12,[17][18][19][20][21]23,28,30,32,39,40 Although pain intensity is usually the primary focus of pain assessment studies, 14,15,31,40 it is only one aspect of the pain experience. The literature documents that pain is a multifaceted experience that includes not only intensity, but also sensory characteristics (eg, aching, splitting), affective qualities (eg, tiring, scary), and activity limitations.…”