Psychometric properties of the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-11) among older people with chronic pain

Abstract

Objectives: The study aimed to test the construct validity, factor structure and reliability of the 11-item version of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-11, Swedish version) among older people (65+) with chronic pain. Design: Methodological study. Subjects: 433 participants with chronic pain (mean age 74.8, 65–98 years) completed postal questionnaires. 264 of the participants completed a test–retest assessment. Methods: Construct validity was evaluated through corrected item-total correlations. Convergent validity was analyzed by correlations with activity/activities of daily living (ADL) dependence, pain intensity and physical activity (all of which are constructs related to kinesiophobia according to fear-avoidance theories). Factor structure was tested through confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach’s α and test–retest reliability, analyzed by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and weighted κ coefficient analysis. Results: Evidence of convergent validity was shown by significant positive correlations with activity/ADL dependence (r = 0.20) and pain intensity (r = 0.31), and a significant negative correlation with physical activity (r = −0.38). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that both one- and two factor-solutions were possible. Cronbach’s α coefficients ranged between 0.74 and 0.87. Test–retest analysis showed strong agreement regarding ICC (r = 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.64–0.82). The weighted κ coefficients for the individual items showed fair to moderate reliability. Conclusion: The Swedish version of TSK-11 had acceptable construct validity, factor structure, and reliability and, hence, can be considered suitable for older people with chronic pain.

• Aged
• fear of movement
• kinesiophobia
• psychometric evaluation
• pain
• Tampa scale

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the respondents for participating in the study. We are also most grateful to Stephen Gilliver for revising the English in this manuscript and to Per Condelius for help with the data collection. This study was funded through generous grants from the King Gustav V. and Queen Victoria’s Foundation of Freemasons, the Gyllenstiernska Krapperup Foundation, and Ragnhild and Einar Lundström’s Foundation.