Elsevier

Manual Therapy

Volume 8, Issue 1, February 2003, Pages 29-36
Manual Therapy

Original Article
Psychometric properties of the Tampa Scale for kinesiophobia and the fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire in acute low back pain

https://doi.org/10.1054/math.2002.0484Get rights and content

Abstract

The transition from acute to chronic low back pain (LBP) is influenced by many interacting factors. Pain-related fear, as measured by the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) and the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ), is one of these factors. The objectives of this study were to investigate, in a population with acute LBP, the reliability of TSK and FABQ through evaluation of the internal consistency, the test–retest reliability, and the concurrent validity between TSK and FABQ. One hundred and Seventy-Six patients suffering LBP for no longer than 4 weeks completed a Visual Analogue Scale for pain (VAS), the TSK, the FABQ, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Each patient completed the VAS, TSK, and FABQ twice within 24 h. Internal consistency of TSK and FABQ scores range from α=0.70 to 0.83. Test–retest reliability ranges from rs=0.64 to 0.80 (P<0.01). Concurrent validity is moderate, ranging fromrs =0.33 to 0.59 (P<0.01). It may be concluded that in a population with acute LBP, both the TSK and the FABQ are reliable measures of pain-related fear. In the clinical setting they may provide the practitioner a means of identifying pain-related fear in a patient with acute LBP.

References (55)

  • HC Philips

    Avoidance behaviour and its role in sustaining chronic pain

    Behavioral Research and Therary

    (1987)
  • HC Philips et al.

    The components of pain behaviour report

    Behavioral Research and Therary

    (1986)
  • MW Van Tulder et al.

    A cost-of-illness study of back pain in The Netherlands

    Pain

    (1995)
  • P FM Verhaak et al.

    Prevalence of chronic benign pain disorder between adults: a review of the literature

    Pain

    (1998)
  • J WS Vlaeyen et al.

    Fear of movement/(re)injury, avoidance and pain disability in chronic low back pain patients

    Manual Therapy

    (1999)
  • J WS Vlaeyen et al.

    Fear of movement/(re)injury in chronic low back pain and its relation to behavioural performance

    Pain

    (1995)
  • J WS Vlaeyen et al.

    Fear-avoidance and its consequences in chronic musculoskeletal pain: A state of the art

    Pain

    (2000)
  • JW Vlaeyen et al.

    Graded exposure in vivo in the treatment of pain-related fear: a replicated single-case experimental design in four patients with chronic low back pain

    Behavioural Research and Therapy

    (2001)
  • G Waddell et al.

    A fear avoidance beliefs questionnaire (FABQ) and the role of fear-avoidance beliefs in chronic low back pain and disability

    Pain

    (1993)
  • DA Walsh et al.

    Pain beliefs and perceived physical disability of patients with chronic low back pain

    Pain

    (2002)
  • WM Bortz

    The disuse syndrome

    Western Journal of Medicine

    (1984)
  • AK Burton et al.

    Psychosocial predictors of outcome in acute and subchronic low back trouble

    Spine

    (1995)
  • AK Burton et al.

    Information and advice to patients with back pain can have a positive effect. A randomized controlles trial of a novel educational booklet in primary care

    Spine

    (1999)
  • J Coste et al.

    Clinical course and prognostic factors in acute low back pain: An inception cohort study in primary care practice

    British Medical Journal

    (1994)
  • PR Croft et al.

    Psychologic Distress and low back pain: Evidence from a prospective study in the general population

    Spine

    (1995)
  • G Crombez et al.

    Vermijden en volharden van bewegingen bij patienten met chronische lage-rugpijn

    Gedragstherapie

    (1995)
  • WW Downie et al.

    Studies with pain rating scales

    Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

    (1978)
  • Cited by (383)

    • The Modified Tampa-Scale of Kinesiophobia for Anterior Shoulder Instability

      2023, Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation
    View all citing articles on Scopus

    E.J.C.M. Swinkels-Meewisse, MScMT, PT, R.A.H.M. Swinkels MScMS, PT, MT, R.A.B. Oostendorp, PhD, PT, MT, Research Fellow, Professor in Allied Health Care, Centre for Quality of Care Research, University Medical Centre St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. E.J.C.M. Swinkels-Meewisse, MScMT, PT, R.A.H.M. Swinkels MScMs, PT, MT, Physiotherapist/Manual Therapist, Practice of Physical Therapy and Manual Therapy, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. E.J.C.M. Swinkels-Meewisse, MScMT, PT, R.A.B. Oostendorp, PhD, PT, MT Assistant Professor in Manual Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacology, Free University Brussels, Postgraduate Education Manual Therapy, Brussels, Belgium. A.L.M. Verbeek MD, PhD, Professor in Clinical Epidemiology, University Medical Centre St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. J.W.S. Vlaeyen, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Medical, Clinical and Experimental Psychology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands. R.A.B. Oostendorp PHD, PT, MT, Research Director, Dutch Institute of Allied Health Professions, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.

    f2

    Correspondence to: ISM, Ulenpas 80, 5655 JD Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Tel/fax: +31 40 252 8687; E-mail: [email protected]

    View full text