The Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FPQ): Further psychometric examination in a non-clinical sample

The present study sought to examine psychometric properties of the Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FPQ), a measure of pain-related fear, in a sample of undergraduates. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the previously reported three-factor model of the FPQ (e.g. severe pain, minor pain, medical pain), but some items may be redundant. With respect to the reliability of the FPQ, both the FPQ and the subscales showed good internal consistency and test-retest stability was moderate to good. Convergent and predictive validity of the FPQ (and the subscales) were partly supported by moderate correlations with related constructs and with self-reported fear associated with three experimental pain tests. Discriminant validity of the FPQ (and the subscales) was partly supported by low correlations with unrelated self-report measures. Moreover, modest correlation coefficients were found between the FPQ and other pain-related measures. Finally, the minor pain subscale of the FPQ accounted for pain intensity scores on the ischemic pain test and the remaining subscales and the FPQ total scores accounted for pain tolerance on the electrical stimulation test and the thermal pain test. Results are discussed and directions for future research are provided.