Het meten van angst voor pijn: psychometrische eigenschappen van de Nederlandstalige versie van de ‘Fear of Pain Questionnaire’

This study examined psychometric properties of a Dutch version of the Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FPQ-DV), a measure of pain-related fear, in a sample of undergraduates. Confirmatory factor analysis showed inadequate fit of the hypothesized three-factor model of the FPQ-DV (e.g., severe pain, minor pain, medical pain). Within the subscales, some items were more strongly intercorrelated. A good fit of the model to the data was found when these items were allowed to correlate. The three-factor model of the FPQ-DV was retained as the changes to the model occurred within the subscales. With respect to the reliability, both the FPQ-DV and its subscales were internally consistent but test-retest stability was moderate. Convergent validity of the FPQ-DV (and the subscales) was (partly) supported by moderate correlations with related constructs. Further, discriminant validity of the FPQ-DV and the subscales was supported by low correlations with unrelated self-report measures. Moreover, modest correlations coefficients were found between the FPQ-DV (and the subscales) and other pain-related measures. Future research should be aimed at either reducing the number of items of the FPQ-DV or splitting the medical pain scale into a fear of injection and a dental fear scale. Further, the relative contribution of the FPQ-DV beyond other measures of pain-related pain should be established.