Validation of the Coping with Health, Injuries, and Problems Scale in a Chronic Pain Sample

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The Coping with Health, Injuries, and Problems (CHIP) Scale is a self-report instrument that is designed for diverse patient populations to provide measures of emotion-focused (e.g., emotional preoccupation) and task-oriented (e.g., palliative, instrumental, distraction) responses to injury. The present investigation assessed the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the measure in patients (n = 203) with chronic musculoskeletal pain. METHOD: Patients were administered questionnaires, including the CHIP Scale, and measures of pain coping strategies, adjustment, and personality. RESULTS: The factor structure, with one exception, was replicable, and the subscale reliabilities were acceptable. The subscales related in predictable ways to other similar questionnaires, to pain adjustment, and to personality. CONCLUSION: Overall, the CHIP Scale is both reliable and valid in assessing responses to chronic pain. Researchers and clinicians who want to use a psychometrically sound measure of response to illness that is applicable across diverse patient populations are encouraged to consider this measure.