Rachel V Aaron, David A Preece, Lauren C Heathcote, Stephen T Wegener, Claudia M Campbell, Chung Jung Mun
{"title":"Assessing alexithymia in chronic pain: psychometric properties of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 and Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire.","authors":"Rachel V Aaron, David A Preece, Lauren C Heathcote, Stephen T Wegener, Claudia M Campbell, Chung Jung Mun","doi":"10.1097/PR9.0000000000001204","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Alexithymia is elevated in chronic pain and relates to poor pain-related outcomes. However, despite concerns from other clinical populations, the psychometric properties of alexithymia measures have not been rigorously established in chronic pain.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study examined the psychometric properties of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 Item (TAS-20) and the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) in adults with chronic pain.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An online sample of adults with chronic pain across the United States (N = 1453) completed the TAS-20, PAQ, and related questionnaires at baseline, 3-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both measures showed good temporal stability, convergent validity (with emotion regulation scores), divergent validity (with depression and anxiety scores), and criterion validity. Some concerns were raised about the TAS-20: the original 3-factor structure showed a poor model fit; the Externally Oriented Thinking subscale of the TAS-20 had poor factor loadings and unacceptable internal consistency; and, we identified several TAS-20 items that may slightly inflate the predictive validity of the TAS-20 on pain-related outcomes. The original 5-factor structure of the PAQ showed a good fit; each PAQ subscale had good factor loadings and excellent internal consistency.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Both the TAS-20 and PAQ had psychometric strengths. Our data raised some concern for the use of TAS-20 subscales; the PAQ may be a psychometrically stronger option, particularly for investigators interested in alexithymia subscale analysis in people with chronic pain.</p>","PeriodicalId":52189,"journal":{"name":"Pain Reports","volume":"10 1","pages":"e1204"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11631001/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Pain Reports","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000001204","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/2/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"NEUROSCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Alexithymia is elevated in chronic pain and relates to poor pain-related outcomes. However, despite concerns from other clinical populations, the psychometric properties of alexithymia measures have not been rigorously established in chronic pain.
Objective: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 Item (TAS-20) and the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) in adults with chronic pain.
Methods: An online sample of adults with chronic pain across the United States (N = 1453) completed the TAS-20, PAQ, and related questionnaires at baseline, 3-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up.
Results: Both measures showed good temporal stability, convergent validity (with emotion regulation scores), divergent validity (with depression and anxiety scores), and criterion validity. Some concerns were raised about the TAS-20: the original 3-factor structure showed a poor model fit; the Externally Oriented Thinking subscale of the TAS-20 had poor factor loadings and unacceptable internal consistency; and, we identified several TAS-20 items that may slightly inflate the predictive validity of the TAS-20 on pain-related outcomes. The original 5-factor structure of the PAQ showed a good fit; each PAQ subscale had good factor loadings and excellent internal consistency.
Conclusions: Both the TAS-20 and PAQ had psychometric strengths. Our data raised some concern for the use of TAS-20 subscales; the PAQ may be a psychometrically stronger option, particularly for investigators interested in alexithymia subscale analysis in people with chronic pain.