Fear of Pain Questionnaire‐9: Brief assessment of pain‐related fear and anxiety

BACKGROUND: Fear and anxiety are important considerations in both acute and chronic pain. Effectively and efficiently measuring fear and anxiety associated with pain in healthcare settings is critical for identifying vulnerable patients. The length and administration time of current measures of pain‐related fear and anxiety inhibit their routine use, as screening tools and otherwise, suggesting the need for a shorter, more efficient instrument. METHODS: A 9‐item shortened version of the Fear of Pain Questionnaire – III (FPQ‐III), the Fear of Pain Questionnaire‐9 (FPQ‐9), was developed based upon statistical analyses of archival data from 275 outpatients with chronic pain and 275 undergraduates. Additionally, new data were collected from 100 outpatients with chronic pain and 190 undergraduates to directly compare the standard and short forms. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and other psychometric analyses, were conducted to examine and establish the FPQ‐9 as a reliable and valid instrument. RESULTS: The original three‐factor structure of the FPQ‐III was retained in the shortened version; a confirmatory factor analysis produced good model fit (RMSEA = 0.00, CFI = 1.00, TLI = 1.00, SRMR = 0.03). Results suggested a high degree of correlation between the original FPQ‐III and the new FPQ‐9 (r = 0.77, p < 0.001). Measures of internal consistency for FPQ‐9 subscales were high; correlations with other pain and anxiety instruments suggested concurrent, convergent and divergent validity. CONCLUSIONS: The FPQ‐9 is a psychometrically sound alternative to longer instruments assessing fear and anxiety associated with pain, for use in both clinical and research situations that only allow brief screening. SIGNIFICANCE: The FPQ‐9 has considerable potential for dissemination and utility for routine, brief screening, given its length (completion time ~2 min; scoring time ~1 min), reading level and psychometric properties.