The Personality Assessment Inventory with chronic pain patients: Psychometric properties and clinical utility

Abstract

The present study examined the clinical utility and psychometric properties of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) within a large sample of chronic pain patients. Alpha coefficients and mean interitem correlations generally conformed with recommended psychometric standards and were similar to those reported for the test standardization samples. Factor analyses supported the consistency of the underlying factor structure of the PAI with chronic pain patients. The factor related to acting-out behavior did not contain the substance abuse component found in previous investigations. The findings demonstrate the complexity and heterogeneity of chronic pain cases and support the usefulness of the PAI in detecting broad and specific psychological and personality constructs within the population of chronic pain patients. Finally, the study provides normative data that will inform clinical interpretation and decision making in chronic pain cases. Overall, the results support the applicability of the PAI for assessment and treatment planning with chronic pain patients.