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Papers of the Week


Papers: 18 Dec 2021 - 24 Dec 2021

RESEARCH TYPE:
Psychology


Human Studies


2021 Dec 19


Scand J Pain

Evaluating the construct validity and internal consistency of the Sickness Questionnaire in a Swedish sample of adults with longstanding pain.

Authors

Abstract

Low-grade inflammation is a possible contributing factor in the development and persistence of chronic primary pain syndromes. Related to inflammatory activity is sickness behavior, a set of behavioral responses including increased pain sensitivity, fatigue, malaise, fever, loss of appetite, as well as depressive behavior and anhedonia. To capture these behavioral responses and their relation to longstanding pain, psychometrically sound self-report questionnaires are needed. The Sickness Questionnaire (SicknessQ) was developed to assess self-reported sickness behavior based on studies on acute immune activation while maintaining relevance for persistent conditions. The aim of the current study was to evaluate aspects of the validity and reliability of the SicknessQ in a Swedish sample of persons with longstanding pain.