Internal Consistency, Stability, and Validity of the Spinal Cord Injury Version of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory
Abstract
Widerström-Noga EG, Cruz-Almeida Y, Martinez-Arizala A, Turk DC. Internal consistency, stability, and validity of the spinal cord injury version of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory.
Objective
To evaluate the internal consistency, stability, and construct validity of a spinal cord injury (SCI) version of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI-SCI).
Design
Interview.
Setting
Veterans Affairs medical center and university-based institute.
Participants
Community sample of persons with SCI and chronic pain (N=161).
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measure
The MPI-SCI.
Results
The internal consistency of the MPI-SCI subscales ranged from fair (.60) for affective distress to substantial (.94) for pain interference with activities. The subscales of the MPI-SCI (ie, life interference [r=.81], affective distress [r=.71], solicitous responses [r=.86], distracting responses [r=.85], general activity [r=.69], pain interference with activities [r=.78], pain severity [r=.69], negative responses [r=.69]) showed adequate stability. In contrast, the stability of the support (r=.59) and the life control subscales (r=.31) was unacceptably low. All MPI-SCI subscales with the exception of the perceived responses by significant others subscales showed good convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity.
Conclusions
The MPI-SCI appears to be a reasonable measure for evaluating chronic pain impact after SCI. In clinical trials, however, supplementary instruments should be included to assess changes in affect, social support, and perceptions of life control.
cDepartment of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL
dDepartment of Anesthesiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
Reprint requests to Eva G. Widerström-Noga, DDS, PhD, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, PO Box 016906 (R-48), Lois Pope Life Center, Miami, FL 33101
Supported by the Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (grant nos. B3070R, B26566C) and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.
ABSTRACT