Sensitivity to Pain Traumatization Scale: development, validation, and preliminary findings

Abstract

Background

This article reports three studies describing the development and validation of the 12-item Sensitivity to Pain Traumatization Scale (SPTS-12). SPT refers to the anxiety-related cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions to pain that resemble the features of a traumatic stress reaction.

Methods

In Study 1, a preliminary set of 79 items was administered to 116 participants. The data were analyzed by using combined nonparametric and parametric item response theory resulting in a 12-item scale with a one-factor structure and good preliminary psychometric properties. Studies 2 and 3 assessed the factor structure and psychometric properties of the SPTS-12 in a community sample of 823 participants (268 with chronic pain and 555 pain-free) and a clinical sample of 345 patients (126 with chronic post-surgical pain, 92 with other nonsurgical chronic pain, and 127 with no chronic pain) at least 6 months after undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery, respectively.

Results

The final SPTS-12 derived from Study 1 comprised 12 items that discriminated between individuals with different levels of SPT, with the overall scale showing good to very good reliability and validity. The results from Studies 2 and 3 revealed a one-factor structure for chronic pain and pain-free samples, excellent reliability and concurrent validity, and moderate convergent and discriminant validity.

Conclusion

The results of the three studies provide preliminary evidence for the validity and reliability of the SPTS-12.

Keywords:

• chronic pain
• chronic post-surgical pain
• trauma
• psychology
• scale development
• measurement
• item response theory analysis
• factor analysis

Acknowledgments

Study 1 is based on Kaley Roosen’s master’s thesis. Study 3 is based on Claire Wicks’ master’s thesis. Joel Katz is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Canada Research Chair in Health Psychology. Samantha R Fashler is supported by a CIHR Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. Kaley Roosen was supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Canada Graduate Scholarship, Master’s Award. Claire Wicks was supported by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. M Gabrielle Pagé is supported by a CIHR postdoctoral fellowship. Hance Clarke is supported by a Merit Award, Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.