Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
09:38
Determining Pain Detection and Tolerance Thresholds Using an Integrated, Multi-Modal Pain Task Battery
Published on: April 14, 2016
Development and Initial Validation of the Cannabis Pain Expectancies Scale
Julia E Hooker1, Lisa R LaRowe2, Stephen A Maisto3
1Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research (CHOIR), Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
The Journal of Pain
|August 5, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed the Cannabis Pain Expectancies Scale (CPES) to measure beliefs about cannabis effects on pain. The validated CPES scale shows reliability and validity in chronic pain patients using cannabis.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Pain Management
- Cannabis Research
Background:
- Pain-related outcome expectancies may influence cannabis use in individuals with pain.
- Existing research is limited by the lack of a validated measure for cannabis pain expectancies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop the Cannabis Pain Expectancies Scale (CPES).
- To assess the psychometric properties of the CPES in cannabis users with chronic pain.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Developed an initial item pool, refined it with experts, and conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on 277 participants.
- Study 2: Confirmed the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the 14-item CPES in a separate sample of 314 participants using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
Main Results:
- EFA identified a two-factor structure initially, but CFA supported a parsimonious one-factor model for the final 14-item CPES.
- The CPES demonstrated excellent internal consistency, reliability, and convergent validity, correlating positively with cannabis use and chronic pain measures.
Conclusions:
- The Cannabis Pain Expectancies Scale (CPES) is a psychometrically sound measure for assessing cannabis-related pain expectancies.
- The CPES can aid in understanding the relationship between pain, cannabis use, and expectancies, potentially informing prevention and treatment strategies.
