Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Argentine version of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale in patients with chronic low back pain

Abstract

Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide. Higher levels of catastrophizing were found in patients with LBP and this variable is associated with self-reported disability. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) is a self-report questionnaire that assesses catastrophizing in the presence of pain. Currently, an Argentine version of the PCS is not available.

Objective: To translate and cross-culturally adapt the PCS into Argentine Spanish and test the psychometric properties of the new version with chronic LBP patients.

Study design: Study of diagnostic accuracy/assessment scale.

Methods: The study was carried out in three consecutive phases following the COSMIN guidelines: translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation. We included Argentine residents over 18 years with chronic LBP. We used the PCS and the Global rating of change (GROC) to assess the psychometric properties.

Results: No difficulties were present in the translation processes and the PCS-Arg was developed. The alfa Cronbach coefficient was 0.89. The standard error of measurement and the minimal detectable change were 5.4 and 15.1 points, respectively. In the explanatory factorial analysis 3 components were identified. For the construct validity, the correlation between the PCS-Arg and disability and pain were r = 0.35 and rho = 0.04, respectively. The mean PCS score was 29.9. The lowest and highest scores were 3 and 52 points, therefore, no roof or ceiling effects of the total score were observed.

Conclusion: The PCS-Arg is a viable, reliable and valid tool for the assessment of catastrophizing in patients with chronic LBP.

Keywords: Catastrophizing; Chronic low back pain; Patient reported outcome measures; Validation studies.