Preliminary assessment: the Pain Inventory and the Pain Coping Tool

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychometrics
• Oncology

Background:

• Cognitive factors and coping strategies significantly influence the pain experience in cancer patients.
• Validated tools are needed to accurately assess these factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and psychometrically test the Pain Inventory and the Pain Coping Tool.
• To measure cognitive factors impacting pain and coping strategies for pain management.

Main Methods:

• Content validity was established by 40 nursing experts rating scale items.
• Reliability was assessed using coefficient alphas.
• Construct validity was determined through correlations with established pain scales.

Main Results:

• Preliminary reliability testing showed adequate coefficient alphas for both scales.
• Significant correlations supported the construct validity of the Pain Inventory and Pain Coping Tool.
• The tools demonstrated potential for measuring cognitive pain factors and coping strategies.

Conclusions:

• The Pain Inventory and Pain Coping Tool show promise as valid and reliable instruments.
• Further research with larger samples is recommended to confirm these preliminary findings.
• These tools can aid in understanding and managing the multifaceted pain experience in cancer patients.