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The following is a summary of “Assessing how Individuals Conceptualize Numeric Pain Ratings: validity and reliability of the Pain Schema Inventory (PSI–6) Short Form,” published in the August 2024  issue of Pain by Wiederien et al.

Pain rating schema is defined as assigning a number to pain intensity. Various other scales validate pain intensity, but numeric scales vary when used by individuals. The 18-item Pain Schema Inventory (PSI-18) measures the pain rating schemas by numeric values for mild to severe pain conditions.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to assess the reliability and validation of the Pain Schema Inventory-6 (PSI-6). 

They performed a secondary analysis using 2 data sets. The first dataset included (n= 641) community-based population that completed PSI-18 and the second (n=182) chronic pain sufferers completing PSI-6 twice a week apart. The study assessed face validity, convergent validity, offset biases, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency of the PSI-6 against PSI-18.   

The result showed that the PSI-18 and PSI-6 tools were competitors in face validity. The PSI-6 showed excellent convergent validity, with r = 0.88 to 0.92 correlations. Bland-Altman plots revealed offset biases near 0 (< 0.22 on a 0–10 scale) across all mild, moderate, severe, and average pain categories. Outstanding results in internal consistency were observed, with Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.91 and 0.80, for PSI-18 and PSI-6, respectively. The Test-retest reliability of the PSI-6 was high, with correlations from r = 0.70–0.76.

They concluded that the PSI-6 was a reliable and effective tool for evaluating pain rating schema. It can interpret an individual’s pain ratings and adjust for individual variability, making it a valuable asset in pain assessment and management. 

Source: frontiersin.org/journals/pain-research/articles/10.3389/fpain.2024.1415635/full