Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of physical restriction in the United States and around the world, with an estimated lifetime prevalence rate of 38.9% reported among the general population globally. 1 The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) is a 13-item, self-report instrument used to quantify pain experiences, 2 and it was developed to facilitate research on the mechanisms by which pain catastrophizing influences the experience of pain. 3 Respondents are asked to reflect on a previous episode of pain and indicate to what degree they experienced thoughts or feelings consistent with (1) rumination, (2) magnification, and (3) helplessness. 2,3 Items on the PCS were drawn from previous research related to catastrophic pain. 3 Research demonstrates that the PCS is a valid measure for the functional evaluation of individuals with LBP. The clinically derived PCS total score has demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability and internal consistency. 2,4,5 Additionally, the PCS has been shown to be useful in differentiating between patients experiencing pain in outpatient settings and individuals living in the community without pain. 6 The PCS is free to use and can be administered and scored in <5 minutes, making it a clinically useful and low-burden instrument to incorporate in routine clinical practice.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.