Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of a Canadian French adaptation of the pain self-efficacy questionnaire (PSEQ)

Abstract

Purpose

The objectives of this study were to translate the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) into Canadian French (PSEQ-F) and to evaluate its validity, reliability and responsiveness in a French-Canadian sample of patients with persistent rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP).

Methods

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the original English version of the PSEQ into Canadian French were performed according to standard procedures. Thereafter, 78 adults with RCRSP completed the PSEQ-F on three occasions: baseline, 2 days later to evaluate the reliability and 6 weeks later to evaluate responsiveness.

Results

Cross-cultural adaptation was performed without problems with content or language. The PSEQ-F was found to be reliable (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.96; Minimal Detectable Change = 3 points [5%]), valid (moderate correlations with an abbreviated version of Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [QuickDASH] and Brief Pain Inventory [BPI] Questionnaires) and responsive (Standardized Response Mean = 0.96; Effect Size = 0.81; Minimal Clinically Important Difference = 6 points [10%]).

Conclusion

The PSEQ-F is a reliable, valid and responsive questionnaire that can be used to assess pain self-efficacy in French-speaking individuals with RCRSP. Further studies should use a self-efficacy-specific Global Rating of Change scale to estimate its responsiveness more thoroughly.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Higher levels of pain self-efficacy have been associated with increased odds of symptom resolution in those with persistent rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP).

• The Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) has been identified as the most frequently used tool by clinicians to assess pain self-efficacy in patients at risk of developing persistent musculoskeletal pain.

• The Canadian French version of the PSEQ (PSEQ-F) is a reliable, valid and responsive questionnaire that can be used to assess pain self-efficacy in French-speaking individuals with RCRSP.

Keywords:

• PSEQ
• pain
• self-efficacy
• measurement
• outcome measures
• psychometric properties

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the individuals who participated in this study, Frédérique Dupuis for her help in the translation process and Jean Leblond for his guidance in data analysis. MOD and MR received Doctoral Training Scholarships from the Fonds de Recherche Québec-Santé (FRQ-S). JSR and FD are supported by salary awards from the FRQ-S.

Disclosure statement

The authors report that there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, JSR, upon reasonable request.