The Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale: Initial Development and Evaluation of 4 and 8 Item Short Forms.

Elevated levels of anxiety in relation to chronic pain have been consistently associated with greater distress and disability. Thus, accurate measurement of pain-related anxiety is an important requirement in modern pain services. The Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale (PASS) was introduced over 30 years ago, with a shortened 20-item version introduced 10 years later. Both versions of the PASS were derived using Principal Components Analysis, an established method of measure development with roots in classical test theory. Item Response Theory (IRT) is a complementary approach to measure development that can reduce the number of items needed and maximize item utility with minimal loss of statistical and clinical information. The present study used IRT to shorten the 20-item PASS (PASS-20) in a large sample of people with chronic pain (N = 2,669). Two shortened versions were evaluated, 1 composed of the single best-performing item from each of its 4 subscales (PASS-4) and the other with the 2 best-performing items from each subscale (PASS-8). Several supplementary analyses were performed, including comparative item convergence evaluations based on sample characteristics (ie, female or male sex; clinical or online sample), factor invariance testing, and criterion validity evaluation of the 4, 8, and 20-item versions of the PASS in hierarchical regression models predicting pain-related distress and interference. Overall, both shortened PASS versions performed adequately across these supplemental tests, although the PASS-4 had more consistent item convergence between samples, stronger evidence for factor invariance, and accounted for 83% of the variance accounted for by the PASS-20% and 92% of the variance accounted for by the PASS-8 in criterion variables. Consequently, the PASS-4 is recommended for use in situations where a briefer evaluation of pain-related anxiety is appropriate. PERSPECTIVE: The Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale (PASS) is an established measure of pain-related fear. This study derived 4 and 8-item versions of the PASS using IRT. Both versions showed strong psychometric properties, stability of factor structure, and relation to important aspects of pain-related functioning.

Profiles of Pain Acceptance and Values-Based Action in the Assessment and Treatment of Chronic Pain.

Pain acceptance and values-based action are relevant to treatment outcomes in those with chronic pain. It is unclear if patterns of responding in these 2 behavioral processes can be used to classify patients into distinct classes at treatment onset and used to predict treatment response. This observational cohort study had 2 distinct goals. First, it sought to classify patients at assessment based on pain acceptance and values-based action (N = 1746). Second, it sought to examine treatment outcomes based on class membership in a sub-set of patients completing an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for chronic pain (N = 343). Latent profile analysis was used in the larger sample to identify 3 distinct patient classes: low acceptance and values-based (AV) action (Low AV; n = 424), moderate acceptance and values-based action (Moderate AV; n = 983) and high acceptance and values-based action (High AV; n = 339). In the smaller treated sample, participants in the Low AV and Moderate AV class demonstrated improvements across all outcome variables, whereas those in the High AV class did not. These findings support the role of pain acceptance and values-based action in those with chronic pain. PERSPECTIVE: Individuals with chronic pain can be classified with respect to pain acceptance and values-based action and these groups may respond differently to treatment.

Initial evaluation of the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire - 2.

Greater acceptance of chronic pain is associated with lesser levels of pain-related distress and disability and better overall functioning. Pain acceptance is most often assessed using the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ), which includes both an eight-item short form (CPAQ-8) and a twenty item parent measure (CPAQ-20). This study derived a two-item CPAQ for use in busy clinical settings and for repeated measurement during treatment, the CPAQ-2. An Item Response Theory (IRT) approach was used to identify the strongest items from the CPAQ-20, one from each of its two subscales. Next, regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the utility of the CPAQ-2 by examining variance accounted for in the CPAQ-8, CPAQ-20, and in measures of depression, pain-related fear, physical disability, and psychosocial disability. Four clinical databases were combined (N = 1,776) for the analyses. Items 9 and 14 were identified as the strongest CPAQ-20 items in the IRT analyses. The sum score of these two items accounted for over 60% of the variance in the CPAQ-8 and CPAQ-20. Furthermore, this score accounted for significant variance in measures of depression, pain-related fear, physical disability, and psychosocial disability after controlling for data collection method (i.e. in clinic or online), participant age, education, pain duration and usual pain. Finally, the amount of variance accounted for by the CPAQ-2 was comparable to that accounted for by both the CPAQ-8 and CPAQ-20. These results provide initial support for the CPAQ-2 and suggest that it is well-suited as a brief assessment of chronic pain acceptance. SIGNIFICANCE: The most frequently used measure of pain acceptance is the CPAQ, which includes both an eight-item short form, the CPAQ-8, and a longer twenty item parent measure, the CPAQ-20. The present study sought to derive a two-item measure of the CPAQ for use in busy clinical settings and for repeated measurement during treatment, the CPAQ-2. An IRT approach was used to identify the strongest items from the CPAQ-20, one from each of its two subscales in a large sample of 1,776 individuals with chronic pain. The two item measure accounted for significant variance in measures of depression, pain-related fear, physical disability, and psychosocial disability. The brief measure will be useful in assessing pain acceptance in busy clinical setting and longitudinal designs.

The relation of self-compassion to functioning among adults with chronic pain.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown that self-compassion is associated with improved functioning and health outcomes among multiple chronic illnesses. However, the role of self-compassion in chronic pain-related functioning is understudied. The present study sought to understand the association between self-compassion and important measures of functioning within a sample of patients with chronic pain. METHODS: Treatment-seeking individuals (N = 343 with chronic pain) that were mostly White (97.9%) and female (71%) completed a battery of assessments that included the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), as well as measures of pain-related fear, depression, disability, pain acceptance, success in valued activity and use of pain coping strategies. RESULTS: Cross-sectional multiple regression analyses that controlled for age, sex, pain intensity and pain duration, revealed that self-compassion accounted for a significant and unique amount of variance in all measures of functioning (r2 range: 0.07-0.32, all p < 0.001). Beta weights indicated that higher self-compassion was associated with lower pain-related fear, depression and disability, as well as greater pain acceptance, success in valued activities and utilization of pain coping strategies. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that self-compassion may be a relevant adaptive process in those with chronic pain. Targeted interventions to improve self-compassion in those with chronic pain may be useful. SIGNIFICANCE: Self-compassion is associated with better functioning across multiple general and pain-specific outcomes, with the strongest associations among measures related to psychological functioning and valued living. These findings indicate that self-compassion may be an adaptive process that could minimize the negative impact of chronic pain on important areas of life.

An analysis of within-treatment change trajectories in valued activity in relation to treatment outcomes following interdisciplinary Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for adults with chronic pain.

A key issue in chronic pain treatment concerns changes necessary for reduced pain-related distress and disability. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a behavior change approach, theorizes several important treatment processes. Increased engagement in valued activities appears highly relevant as previous work has indicated it is related to current and future functioning and to treatment outcomes. This study sought to examine change trajectory in valued activity over the course of an interdisciplinary program of ACT and its relation to outcomes at treatment conclusion and three-month follow-up (N = 242). Latent change trajectories of valued activity were assessed weekly over four weeks of treatment and analyzed via latent growth curve and growth mixture modeling. A single latent trajectory with an increasing linear slope was indicated. Overall, slope of change in valued activity was predictive of improvement in psychosocial outcomes at post-treatment, including psychosocial disability, depression, pain anxiety, and discrepancy between values importance and success. Slope was not related to change in pain intensity or physical disability at post-treatment, nor was it related to change in any variable at follow-up. Findings are discussed in relation to the ACT model, in that support was provided in relation to post-treatment improvements for psychosocial variables.