A comparative analysis of measures used in the assessment of chronic pain patients.

Abstract

Currently, there is a lack of consensus regarding which measures to use in the assessment of chronic pain patients. This investigation empirically determined the core dimensions tapped by 9 self-report measures commonly used with chronic pain patients. Subjects were 315 patients referred to a multidisciplinary chronic pain clinic. The measures assessed emotional and social functioning, and the behavioral, cognitive, sensory, and subjective aspects of pain. Five factors were identified: General Affective Distress, Coping, Support, Pain Description, and Functional Capacity. The Multidimensional Pain Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the McGill Pain Questionnaire captured the pain experience with minimal overlap