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. 2022 Sep-Oct;72(5):614-621.
doi: 10.1016/j.bjane.2021.02.057. Epub 2021 Apr 28.

Validation of the Brazilian version of the child pain catastrophizing scale and its relationship with a marker of central sensitization

Larissa Schneider  1 , Stela Maris de Jezus Castro  2 , Eliza Saggin Mallman  3 , Cibelle de Abreu Evaldt  3 , Andressa Souza  4 , Josy da Silva Rodrigues  5 , Clarissa Mendanha  3 , Wolnei Caumo  6 , Luciana Cadore Stefani  7
Affiliations

Validation of the Brazilian version of the child pain catastrophizing scale and its relationship with a marker of central sensitization

Larissa Schneider et al. Braz J Anesthesiol. 2022 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: The Pain Catastrophizing Scale-Child version (PCS-C) allows to identify children who are prone to catastrophic thinking. We aimed to adapt the Brazilian version of PCS-C (BPCS-C) to examine scale psychometric properties and factorial structure in children with and without chronic pain. Also, we assessed its correlation with salivary levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

Methods: The Brazilian version of PCS-C was modified to adjust it for 7-12 years old children. To assess psychometric properties, 100 children (44 with chronic pain from a tertiary hospital and 56 healthy children from a public school) answered the BPCS-C, the visual analogue pain scale, and questions about pain interference in daily activities. We also collected a salivary sample to measure BDNF.

Results: We observed good internal consistency (Cronbach's value = 0.81). Parallel analysis retained 2 factors. Confirmatory factor analysis of our 2-factor model revealed consistent goodness-of-fit (IFI = 0.946) when compared to other models. There was no correlation between visual analogue pain scale and the total BPCS-C score; however, there was an association between pain catastrophizing and difficulty in doing physical activities in school (p = 0.01). BPCS-C total scores were not different between groups. We found a marginal association with BPCS-C (r = 0.27, p = 0.01) and salivary BDNF levels.

Discussion: BPCS-C is a valid instrument with consistent psychometric properties. The revised 2-dimension proposed can be used for this population. Children catastrophism is well correlated with physical limitation, but the absence of BPCS-C score differences between groups highlights the necessity of a better understanding about catastrophic thinking in children.

Keywords: Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF); Catastrophizing; Children; Chronic pain; Pain catastrophizing; Validation studies as topic.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow of the multiple standardized phases of the study 20.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Final version of the Brazilian Catastrophizing Scale-Children’s version.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Factorial structure of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of Pain catastrophizing scale for Children (Panel A: 2-factor model revealed by the current study; Panel B: the classical 3-factor model).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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