Scale-Description

The Pain and Distress Scale is a psychometric tool designed to assess the intensity of pain and the emotional distress experienced by individuals with chronic pain or acute conditions. It consists of 20 questions focusing on various aspects of pain and the emotional response to it. The scale takes into account both the physical and psychological dimensions of pain, including feelings of anxiety, depression, and general distress.

The questions of the scale address:

The frequency and intensity of pain.

The emotional reactions caused by the pain, such as anxiety or sadness.

The way pain affects an individual’s daily life and social relationships.

Data Analysis and Usage

The data collected through the PDS-20 are used to understand an individual’s overall pain experience and the emotional distress that may be associated with it. Responses to the questions are typically evaluated using a Likert scale, where participants rate the intensity of their experiences.

The main statistical analyses applied to the data from the PDS-20 include:

Reliability analysis, such as calculating Cronbach’s alpha, to check the internal consistency of the scale’s items.

Factor analysis to identify the main dimensions of pain and distress measured by the scale.

Comparative analysis to explore how pain and distress are related to other psychological and social variables.

The data from the PDS-20 can be used to assess the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions aimed at alleviating pain or addressing the emotional distress associated with pain.

Purpose

The primary goal of the Pain and Distress Scale (PDS-20) is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the pain and accompanying emotional distress experienced by individuals. Through this assessment, the scale aims to:

Better understand the impact of pain on patients’ lives.

Identify the emotional reactions triggered by pain.

Support clinical decisions in addressing both physical pain and emotional distress.

The scale can be used by healthcare professionals to develop more targeted and effective therapeutic interventions and to monitor patients’ progress during treatment.

Calibration

The calibration of the PDS-20 involves the following procedures:

Reliability analysis to confirm that the items on the scale consistently measure the different aspects of pain and distress.

Confirmatory factor analysis to verify the structure of the dimensions captured by the scale.

Cross-validation across different populations, such as individuals with different conditions or cultural backgrounds, to ensure the scale’s reliability and validity in a broad range of patients.

Bibliography

McCracken, L. M., & Dhingra, L. (2002). A short version of the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS-20): Preliminary development and validity. Pain Research and Management, 7(1), 45-50.

Osman, A., Barrios, F. X., Kopper, B. A., Hauptmann, W., Jones, J., & O’Neill, E. (1997). Factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 20(6), 589-605.

Vlaeyen, J. W., & Linton, S. J. (2000). Fear-avoidance and its consequences in chronic musculoskeletal pain: A state of the art. Pain, 85(3), 317-332.